Survival after chloroquine ingestion in a child.
We report the case of a 17 month old, 14 kg male who ingested 4 grams of chloroquine phosphate. He developed ventricular fibrillation and cardiovascular collapse 1 hour after the ingestion. After resuscitation he was treated with diazepam 2 mg/kg acutely, and 0.25 mg/kg/hour for 4 days with no further cardiac electrophysiologic abnormalities. Gallium-67 scan showed increased radionuclide uptake in heart and renal cortex, but there was no clinical evidence of myocardial or renal dysfunction at the time of the scan. He survived with severe neurologic sequelae from the cardiovascular collapse. He had dynamic peripheral neuropathy and progressive loss of retinal function, as evidence of ongoing chloroquine neurotoxicity.
Havens
P L
PL
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53201.
Splaingard
M L
ML
Bousounis
D
D
Hoffman
G M
GM
D001929:Brain Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000506:poisoning*; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012021:Reflex, Abnormal / Q000139:chemically induced; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced
D002738:Chloroquine