Citation

Lung DD, Scott BJ, Wu AHB, Gerona RRL. Muscle Nerve 2013; 48(5): 823-827.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/mus.23916

PMID

23733387

Abstract

Introduction: A 28-year-old man presented with acute flaccid paralysis and respiratory failure that persisted for 2 weeks after suicidal ingestion of unknown substances. Methods: Extensive clinical, nerve, laboratory, and neuroimaging testing excluded alternative causes of this neuromuscular syndrome. Prompted by clues provided by family members, liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to investigate for the presence of poison hemlock. Results: Testing of the residue in a jar used for the ingestion of a poisonous concoction confirmed the presence of the nicotinic alkaloid coniine. Analysis of patient serum suggested the presence of conhydrine. Concentrations of amitriptyline and diazepam were also found to be supratherapeutic, but only through the first few days of hospitalization. Conclusion: This is a case of reversible coma, flaccid quadriparesis, and neuromuscular respiratory failure caused by intentional ingestion of poison hemlock. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Language: en