Arsenic (As) in blood (chromatography)
Arsenic is a metalloid whose inorganic compounds exhibit toxic properties when accumulated in the human body. This chemical element is very common in nature in the composition of metal ores, from where it enters water, plants and the atmosphere.
Although arsenic compounds are traditionally associated with poisoning, everyone consumes about 20-50 mcg of arsenic daily with food. It is present in apples, tomatoes, red wine, chocolate, pork, chicken meat, flour. Seafood is especially rich in arsenic. In foods, arsenic is found in its non-toxic form as the organic compound arsenobetaine. Inorganic arsenic compounds (arsenites and arsenates) can cause clinically pronounced intoxication.
Recently, a positive effect has been noted from the use of arsenic trioxide in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Although therapeutic doses of the drug (0.07-0.17 mg/kg/day) are used, in some cases clinical effects of acute intoxication, primarily cardiac rhythm disturbances, are observed. The response to arsenic trioxide administration is most difficult to assess in elderly patients and in patients with hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia and concomitant cardiac disease.
It is advisable to adjust the dose of arsenic trioxide to the concentration of this substance in the blood. Also, the level of arsenic in the blood is measured with the development of complications due to treatment with this drug.