TY - JOUR
T1 - Early metabolic acidosis and coma after acetaminophen ingestion
AU - Roth, B.
AU - Woo, O.
AU - Blanc, P.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - Metabolic acidosis and coma may develop in patients who experience severe hepatic injury after acetaminophen poisoning. The onset of acidosis and coma soon after acetaminophen overdose, but preceding manifest hepatic injury, contrasts with the typical course of poisoning. This pattern has been reported in a limited number of cases. Coingestions and the rare occurrence of these findings after an overdose have engendered controversy as to whether acetaminophen alone is the cause of early coma and acidosis. We describe 4 separate overdoses among 3 patients who arrived at the emergency department comatose with a metabolic acidosis soon after ingesting large amounts of acetaminophen without evidence of toxic liver injury. Our cases support the view that early metabolic acidosis with coma does indeed occur after acetaminophen poisoning, independent of hepatic failure or its complications.
AB - Metabolic acidosis and coma may develop in patients who experience severe hepatic injury after acetaminophen poisoning. The onset of acidosis and coma soon after acetaminophen overdose, but preceding manifest hepatic injury, contrasts with the typical course of poisoning. This pattern has been reported in a limited number of cases. Coingestions and the rare occurrence of these findings after an overdose have engendered controversy as to whether acetaminophen alone is the cause of early coma and acidosis. We describe 4 separate overdoses among 3 patients who arrived at the emergency department comatose with a metabolic acidosis soon after ingesting large amounts of acetaminophen without evidence of toxic liver injury. Our cases support the view that early metabolic acidosis with coma does indeed occur after acetaminophen poisoning, independent of hepatic failure or its complications.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0196-0644(99)70312-4
DO - 10.1016/S0196-0644(99)70312-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 10092726
AN - SCOPUS:0032941676
SN - 0196-0644
VL - 33
SP - 452
EP - 456
JO - Annals of emergency medicine
JF - Annals of emergency medicine
IS - 4
ER -