Man asks ChatGPT for advice on how to cut salt, ends up in hospital with hallucinations
The man already followed a very restrictive diet, one that doctors found was impacting his levels of important micronutrients, like vitamin C and B12. He was also reportedly very thirsty, but at the same time very worried about the quality of the water he was being offered, since he distilled his own water. He was thoroughly tested and first kept at the hospital for electrolyte monitoring and repletion.
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His test results, combined with the hallucinations, and other reported symptoms, including new facial acne, fatigue and insomnia, led the medical staff to believe the patient had bromism.
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Bromism, a condition that was mostly reported in the early 20th century, is caused by ingesting high quantities of sodium bromide. The normal levels of bromide are between 0.9 to 7.3 mg/L, but this patient had 1,700 mg/L.
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The patient remained in the hospital for treatment for three weeks, and was stable at his check-up two weeks after his discharge.
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Bromism cases decreased after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eliminated the use of bromide in the 1980s, the authors wrote. It was previously used in treatments for insomnia, hysteria and anxiety. However, the disease has reemerged now, with bromide being added to some unregulated dietary supplements and sedatives and the consumption of excess dextromethorphan, a substance included in cough medicine.
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'While cases of bromism may remain relatively rare, it remains prudent to highlight bromism as a reversible cause of new-onset psychiatric, neurologic, and dermatologic symptoms, as bromide-containing substances have become more readily available with widespread use of the internet,' the authors wrote.
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The doctors said that AI tools can be great for creating a bridge between scientists and the general population, but it also carries a risk of producing misinformation and giving information out of context, something that doctors are trained not to do.
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'As the use of AI tools increases, providers will need to consider this when screening for where their patients are consuming health information,' the authors said in the case study.
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OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT, recently announced changes to their system, including being more careful when it comes to health-related questions. In one of the examples, the chatbot gives information but also includes a note about checking in with a health professional.
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'Our terms say that ChatGPT is not intended for use in the treatment of any health condition, and is not a substitute for professional advice. We have safety teams working on reducing risks and have trained our AI systems to encourage people to seek professional guidance,' OpenAI said in a statement.
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