Citation

Bodeau S, Bennis Y, Abe E, Quinton MC, Andréjak M, Bricca G, Alvarez JC, Lemaire-Hurtel AS. Toxicol. Anal. Clin. 2016; 28(1): 32-37.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Société Française de Toxicologie Analytique, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.toxac.2015.11.006

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Colchicine is an alkaloid used for treatment and prevention of acute gouty attacks and for other inflammatory diseases including Familial Mediterranean Fever or Behçet's disease. However, its toxicity limits its use. Colchicine poisoning is unusual but potentially life-threatening. Colchicine toxicity is due to multi-organ failure, which can be fatal in the most severe cases, usually by cardiac or respiratory failure. Colchicine poisoning can be observed following an insufficient elimination, a drug interaction or a massive ingestion of colchicine. We report here 3 cases of acute poisoning occurring after a massive intake of colchicine in a suicide context. In the 3 cases, measurement of plasma concentrations of colchicine by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry has confirmed the intoxication. In the most severe case, regular measurement of colchicine plasma concentrations has permitted to trace the evolution of intoxication. © 2015 Société Française de Toxicologie Analytique.

Language: fr

Keywords

Intoxication; human; multiple organ failure; case report; suicide attempt; heart failure; drug intoxication; liquid chromatography; respiratory failure; drug elimination; Toxicokinetics; gout; colchicine; Colchicine; Article; tandem mass spectrometry; Behcet disease; familial Mediterranean fever; Plasmaconcentration