Citation

Hagley MT, Traeger SM, Schuckman HA. Ann. Pharmacother. 1994; 28(2): 195-196.

Affiliation

Department of Internal Medicine, Akron City Hospital, OH.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Harvey Whitney Books)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8173132

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient who developed significant metabolic abnormalities in response to a low-level theophylline ingestion. CASE SUMMARY: An 18-year-old man was examined after ingesting theophylline 3 g in a suicide attempt. Although his peak theophylline concentration was 157 mumol/L (28.2 micrograms/mL), it was associated with significant leukocytosis, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypophosphatemia, hyperglycemia, and lactic acidosis. These abnormalities have been previously associated with theophylline intoxication, but only in conjunction with much higher peak concentrations of theophylline. CONCLUSIONS: Significant metabolic abnormalities can occur with suicidal ingestion of relatively small amounts of theophylline. The presence of these abnormalities should be sought in theophylline overdoses. In the proper clinical circumstances, such abnormalities should raise suspicion of covert theophylline ingestion.

Language: en