Citation

Abhilash KPP, Arul JJ, Bala D. Indian J. Crit. Care Med. 2013; 17(5): 311-313.

Affiliation

Department of Medicine 4, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine, Publisher Medknow Publications)

DOI

10.4103/0972-5229.120326

PMID

24339645

Abstract

Acute iron toxicity is usually seen in children with accidental ingestion of iron-containing syrups. However, the literature on acute iron toxicity with suicidal intent in adults is scant. We report, the first instance of two adults with fatal ingestion of a single drug overdose with iron tablets from India. Two young adults developed severe gastro-intestinal bleeding and fulminant hepatic failure 48 h after deliberate consumption of large doses of iron tablets. Serum iron levels measured 36 h after ingestion were normal presumably due to the redistribution of iron to the intracellular compartment. Despite aggressive supportive management in medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital, the patients succumbed to the toxic doses of iron.

Language: en