Permanent retinal damage following massive dapsone overdose.
A massive dose of 7.5 g of 4,4'-diamino, diphenyl sulphone (dapsone) taken as a suicide attempt in a patient on long-term therapy for tuberculoid leprosy resulted in permanent bilateral retinal necrosis, previously unreported side effect of this drug. The patient developed a severe haemolytic anaemia, methaemoglobinaemia, and acute renal failure requiring peritoneal dialysis. It is proposed that the retinal damage was due to a combination of severe hypoxaemia and the physical effects of red cell fragmentation producing vascular occlusion in the macular and perimacular region, with consequent ischaemic necrosis.
D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced; D000328:Adult; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000139:chemically induced; D003622:Dapsone / Q000506:poisoning*; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008297:Male; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D009336:Necrosis; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D003622:Dapsone