ICIM Blog

Question : I am starting to see a pattern if a few patients with high cadmium and/or lead, who also have gadolinium that is elevated, not respond as well as patients without the gadolinium. These are usually cancer patients in whom MRI scans or CT scans have been performed. Have you seen the same thing? I do not know what the affinity coefficient for gadolinium relative to the other metals is. Is it preferentially being picked up by CA EDTA over cadmium or lead, or is it just that there is so much of it because it was given in a high dose that it is interfering with the chelation and removal of the other heavy metals. Some of the patients in question have had 3-4 scans in 1 year. I am trying everything I know to improve excretion, including using IV Glutathione and also Glycine preloading.

As always, I appreciate your help and input, An ICIM Member

Responses:
From Robban Sica MD
Here is an article on NSF and Gadolinium The conference at Yale was on Nephrogenic System Fibrosis caused by Gd
Biochemical safety profiles of gadolinium-based extracellular contrast agents and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. From the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
(Robban also sent a variety of other articles and pdfs)
From Rebecca Murray, APRN

1. Found positive urine toxic (Genova) for gadolinium levels following a challenge of DSMA 500 mg at bedtime with an overnight (7 hour) first void urine collection.

2. Check out http://cme.yale.edu for the program they held in May (?10th)

3. Biochemical safety profiles of gadolinium-based extracellular contrast agents and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.

Ersoy H, Rybicki FJ.

Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. hersoy@partners.org

Gadolinium (Gd)-based paramagnetic contrast agents are relatively safe when used in clinically recommended doses. However, with the rapidly expanding body of literature linking Gd-based paramagnetic contrast agents and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), awareness of the potential side effects and adverse reactions from Gd is now an important requirement for practicing radiologists. In addition to the ongoing accumulation and analyses of clinical NSF data, it is also essential for the practicing radiologist to understand the biochemical characteristics of the extracellular Gd-chelates. The purpose of this review is to consolidate and update the available information on known side effects, adverse reactions, and toxicity of the Gd chelates, with particular emphasis on the potential mechanisms of NSF.

Publication Types:
• Review, PMID: 17969161 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

From Dr. Martin Dayton:

:Nat Clin Pract Nephrol. 2007; 3(12):654-668. ©2007
http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/reprint/142/3/619.pdf

From Dr. Jim Smith:

1. Has an imaging agent gadolinium is connected to DTPA – Diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid. This is very similar to EDTA. I have heard of EDTA being used in the past. But I guess you could use DTPA if you were so inclined but I have no idea what the dosage would be. (NB: DPTA has not been approved for use in the US, has it?)

2. Go tot the link below and Look at Chap 9 - lot of info on Gadolinium - very toxic, etc
http://books.google.com/books?id=iVMSJUwKY8sC&pg=PA349&lpg=PA349&dq=EDTA+aff
inity+for+gadolinium&source=web&ots=LKF-QglHa_&sig=aax55EwzbrTz0eBOMi3DX
inity+for+gOGY
NU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPA313,M1

From Dr. Dale Guyer:
I have seen this a lot in people w contrast agents. While I am not sure of the chelating agent binding coefficents I have always seen the levels on provocation testing drop after using lower dose EDTA and DMPS in combination in conjunction w a modified Myers cocktail. Have usually included 10 cc glutathione and 10,000 mcg of methyl b12 and 5 cc EDTA 2 cc DMPS. I usually put the DMPS in IVPB.

*This discussion is for conversation use only and does not represent medical advice or claims.

Vitamin D and the Immune System - Fighting infections with effective, non-invasive treatments. Learn about:
• Vitamin D synthesis, lab tests and levels for insufficiency vs frank deficiency
• Vitamin D in the innate and acquired immune system, including its role as a cytokine and a trigger for cathelecidin synthesis
• Mechanism for vitamin D in the development of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, atopic eczema and multiple sclerosis
• Association of low vitamin D or VDR mutations with increased risk of infections: influenza, severe acute lower respiratory infection, TB and HIV
• VDR mutation Taq and Fok in blood sugar dysregulation and dopamine synthesis
• Criticism of high dose vitamin D support and supplementation caveats

Well known as a building block for strong bones, Vit D was a common treatment for tuberculosis during the early twentieth century. And yet, despite vitamin D’s highly-advertised role as a food additive and its low cost as a supplement, vitamin D deficiency is on the rise in the United States. Dr. Ellie Campbell’s lecture will explore blood serum levels of vitamin D, the diseases that are potentially impacted by vitamin D, and the use of supplementation.

Ellie Campbell DO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ZfvPJteeg) has been lecturing to colleagues and patients since 1994. She lectures for both the Georgia and North Carolina Academies of Family Practice, ZRT labs, The Age Management Medical Group, and is scheduled to speak to A4M in Brazil in November 2010.

Dr. Campbell will lecture during the International College of Integrative Medicine (ICIM) 53rd Congress: “Infections,” September 23-26, 2010 in Buffalo/Niagara, New York. To register, visit www.icimed.com/RegistrationFall2010.pdf.

For speakers' CVs and a complete conference schedule, please visit www.IntegrativeMedicineConference.com.

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With a budget of under $70,000 per year and a staff of 3 part timers, it seems like ICIM has a limited role to play. However, ICIM is no less than what we mean to each of you. We are an organization because we can do more good together than apart.

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Are you willing to give a call, card or email of encouragement when our members face challenges in their lives or careers? Let me know and I’ll call on you when I hear of someone facing a crisis.

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Workshop- September 23, 2010 AnnaLisa Pastore MD and Dr. Kenneth Y. Davis will present a revolutionary “triune model” of analysis that can be easily learned and incorporated by any Integrative Practitioner in assessing all patients, including those presenting with acute and chronic infections. Many patients present with similar symptomatology, but the underlying causes may not be the same. Pastore and Davis will show how a three-pronged model, The Triune of Well-being, is key if positive patient outcomes are to be achieved, including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual angles.

Learning objectives for the workshop include bio-energetic muscle response testing of reflexes, patient intake methods, visceral manipulative and bloodless surgery techniques, and nutritional and herbal therapies.

The workshop will be instructional to physicians and practitioners from all backgrounds who are interested in fighting infections with effective, non-invasive treatments. For speakers' CVs and a complete conference schedule, please see http://www.icimed.com/conferences.php

This pre-conference workshop is part of the International College of Integrative Medicine (ICIM) 53rd Congress: “Infections,” which will be held September 23-26, 2010 in Buffalo/Niagara, New York. To register, visit www.icimed.com/RegistrationFall2010.pdf.