PMID: 18724532Aug 30, 2008Paper

Hypokalaemia in a suicide attempt of an adolescent girl

Casopís lékar̆ů c̆eských
H TesfayeJ Doupovcová

Abstract

In acute theophylline poisoning hypokalaemia, hyperglycaemia, and other electrolyte disturbances may occur. These abnormalities have been attributed to catecholamine excess with intracellular movement of potassium and catecholamine-stimulated gluconeogenesis. Herein we describe a female teenager, who developed metabolic disturbances with significant toxic response to oral theophylline overdose in a suicide attempt. Severe hypokalaemia (1.8 mmol/L) was among the leading pathological findings, at peak theophylline concentration (68 mg/L). There was high plasma glucose (10.2 mmol/L). Creatinine-kinase was evidently abnormal (8.60 microkat/L) several hours post poisoning, while serum myoglobin was markedly elevated (74.8 microg/L) despite the decrease in the drug level. Ventricular arrhythmia with marked extra systoles has been confirmed on electrocardiograph. Finally, the patient recovered through intensive care management with theophylline level (21.1 mg/L) falling close to reference range after 48 hours, but relative hypokalaemia persisted despite potassium supplementations even after the drug level fall below detection limit. In conclusion, timely gastrointestinal decontamination, determination of serum drug levels in intervals...Continue Reading

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