title: Treatment of biguanide-induced lactic acidosis: reproposal of the "physiological" approach and review of the literature.
abstract: We report a case of severe biguanide-induced lactic acidosis which did not respond to symptomatic alkali treatment via either intravenous bicarbonate infusion or bicarbonate-dialysis. We thus initiated a therapeutic strategy based on insulin and thiamine only in order to reactivate the pyruvate oxidative pathway, in which both drugs play important roles as cofactors. This original "physiological" approach proved effective, and further alkali administration was unnecessary. Our results prompted a review of the literature on the treatment of biguanide-induced lactic acidosis, a situation in which the absence of precise therapeutic rules can undoubtedly affect both the evolution and the prognosis of the syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Medica e Nefrologia, Università degli Studi di Parma.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guariglia
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gonzi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Regolisti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vinci
mesh_terms: D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001645:Biguanides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009846:Oliguria / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D001645:Biguanides