Occupational molybdenum exposure and a gouty electrician.

BACKGROUND

Molybdenum is an essential trace element and a component of xanthine oxidase, which catalyses the formation of urate. The toxicity of molybdenum in humans is considered to be low, but hyperuricaemia and gout-like symptoms have been observed sporadically.

METHODS

A case of hyperuricaemia and gouty arthritis in a young man with occupational exposure to molybdenum is described. Improvement during an exposure-free period was followed by a relapse after a reconstruction designed to quantify his molybdenum exposure.

CONCLUSION

This case seems to represent the first observation of gout associated with occupational molybdenum exposure, but the association might also be entirely circumstantial.