简介：BACKGROUND:Thepathwaysinduced/activatedbymercurypoisoningthatleadtomusclepainremainunclear.Thepresentstudyaddressedthestructuralchangesobservedintheperipheralnervefollowingmercurypoisoning.OBJECTIVE:Toestablishthemercurypoisonratmodel,ratswereintragastricallyadministeredmercury.Thecorrelationbetweenpost-mercurypoison-inducedmuscularpainandtibialnervemorphologicalchangeswereobserved.DESIGN:Observationalcontrastanimalstudy.SETTING:ShangdongAcademyofOccupationalHealthandOccupationalMedicine.MATERIALS:ThirtyadultSpragueDawleyratsofequalgender.Mercurychloride(HgCl2,analyticalgrade:99.99%;batchnumber:990402)wasprovidedbyShanghaiChemicalReagentFactory,andsodiumdimercaptopropanesulfonate(DMPS)injectionbyShanghaiHarvestPharmaceuticalCo.,Ltd.(batchnumber:0309011).METHODS:ThisstudywasperformedattheAnimalExperimentalCenterofShangdongAcademyofOccupationalHealthandOccupationalMedicinefromDecember2005toJanuary2006.Ratswererandomlydividedintohigh-dosemercury,low-dosemercury,andcontrolgroups,with10ratsineachgroup.Ratsinthetwomercurygroupswereintragastricallyadministered17mg/kgand8.5mg/kgHgCl2solution,respectively,onceadaytoestablisharatmodelofsubacutemercurypoisoning.Ratsinthecontrolgroupwereintragastricallyadministered2mLsaline,onceaday.Intragastricadministrationinthethreegroupslastedfor(20±2)days.Aftermodelestablishment,ratsinthetwomercurygroupswereinjectedDMPSonceadaytoremovemercury.Theinjectionlastedfor3daysafterevery4-dayinterval.Sevendayswasregardedasonetreatmentcycle,andthereweretwotreatmentcyclesintotal.MAINOUTCOMEMEASURES:Mercury-inducedmuscularpainstatus;ultrastructuralchangesoftherighttibialnervefollowingmodelestablishmentandmercuryremovalundertransmissionelectronmicroscope.RESULTS:Thirtyratswereincludedinthefinalanalysis.Muscularpainsta