Korean J Nephrol.  1997 Dec;16(4):824-827.

Hearing and Visual Loss with Renal Failure Due to Sodium Bromate Poisoning

• Jeong JJ
• Chung WC
• Choi YH
• Yoh KA
• Kim TY
• Park KS
• Lee JM
• Jin DC
• Chang YS
• Bang BK

Abstract

Hair neutralizer in home permanent cold wave kits contains a 2% to 10% potassium or sodium bromate, which is colorless, odorless and tasteless solution. Bromate salts are extremely toxic oxidants. The reported toxic effects of bromates poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, depression of central nervous system, oliguric acute renal failure, sensorineural hearing loss, peripheral neuropathy and hemolytic anemia. Deafness seems to be almost permanent. In many cases, the recovery of renal function is not complete and some of them are transformed to chronic renal failure and maintained on hemodialysis. Since the serious side effects of deafness and acute renal filure usually occur within 4-16 h after ingestion, prompt removal of the bromate from blood by peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis, which are proven method of removal, should be performed immediately. Recently, we encountered a 37 year old female hairdresser who was admitted to St. Mary Hospital due to oligura, hearing loss and visual loss after ingestion of sodium bromate. The patient required regular hemodialysis therapy and no recovery of hearing and visual loss was evident up to 8 month follow up.

Keyword

Sodium bromate; Acute renal failure; Visual loss; Hearing loss

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Adult
Anemia, Hemolytic
Bromates
Central Nervous System
Deafness
Depression
Diarrhea
Eating
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Hair
Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural
Hearing*
Humans
Kidney Failure, Chronic
Oxidants
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Peritoneal Dialysis
Poisoning*
Potassium
Renal Dialysis
Renal Insufficiency*
Salts
Sodium*
Vomiting
Bromates
Oxidants
Potassium
Salts
Sodium