Mee's lines are associated with poisoning by which metal?

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Multiple Choice

Mee's lines are associated with poisoning by which metal?

Mees’ lines are transverse white bands that run across the nail plate, reflecting a temporary arrest in nail growth due to systemic toxicity. They are classically linked to arsenic poisoning because arsenic disrupts nail matrix keratinization, so a band forms as the nail grows out and becomes visible weeks after exposure. This association is why arsenic is the best answer here. Other metals have different hallmark signs—for example, lead is famous for a Burtonian line on the gums—so their typical features don’t produce the Mees’ lines pattern.

Mees’ lines are transverse white bands that run across the nail plate, reflecting a temporary arrest in nail growth due to systemic toxicity. They are classically linked to arsenic poisoning because arsenic disrupts nail matrix keratinization, so a band forms as the nail grows out and becomes visible weeks after exposure. This association is why arsenic is the best answer here. Other metals have different hallmark signs—for example, lead is famous for a Burtonian line on the gums—so their typical features don’t produce the Mees’ lines pattern.

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