Methaemoglobinaemia associated with sodium nitrite in three siblings

The aetiology of methaemoglobinaemia may be congenital due to deficiency in cytochrome b5 reductase and to structural abnormalities in the haemoglobin molecule (haemoglobin M disorders) or be acquired as the result of drug treatment or the presence of toxins-most commonly nitrites or nitrates. Life...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ 1998-10, Vol.317 (7166), p.1138-1139
Main Authors: Finan, Alan, Keenan, Peter, O' Donovan, Frances, Mayne, Philip, Murphy, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child, Preschool
Children & youth
Clinical Review
Cytochrome
Diseases in Twins
Drug dosages
Female
Food contamination & poisoning
Humans
Intubation
Male
Methemoglobinemia - chemically induced
Nitrates - adverse effects
Nuclear Family
Oxidation
Siblings
Sodium
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Summary:The aetiology of methaemoglobinaemia may be congenital due to deficiency in cytochrome b5 reductase and to structural abnormalities in the haemoglobin molecule (haemoglobin M disorders) or be acquired as the result of drug treatment or the presence of toxins-most commonly nitrites or nitrates. Life threatening methaemoglobinaemia is rare and is usually the result of acute poisoning by drugs or toxins. 2 We report life threatening methaemoglobinaemia associated with sodium nitrite in three previously healthy siblings, 4 year old twin boys (cases 1 and 2) and their sister aged 2 years (case 3).
ISSN:0959-8138
1468-5833
DOI:10.1136/bmj.317.7166.1138