title: Assessment of acute iron poisoning by laboratory and clinical observations.
abstract: A survey of medical records at a tertiary children's medical center was performed to determine whether selected laboratory and clinical observations and the serum iron concentration exceeding the total iron-binding capacity serve as indicators of acute iron poisoning. Patients were hospitalized for treatment of iron poisoning during January 1976 through June 1992. A total of 128 patients were identified; 92 met selection criteria and 65 had a serum iron concentration and total iron-binding capacity obtained simultaneously. The present study was unable to confirm that vomiting, diarrhea, leukocytosis, hyperglycemia, and radiopacities were associated with a serum iron concentration in excess of 300 micrograms/dL (54 mumol/L); only one observation, coma, was associated (P < .02) with a serum iron greater than 500 micrograms/dL (90 mumol/L). Coma, radiopacities, leukocytosis, and an elevated anion gap will be concurrently present (predictive value positive = 100%) when the serum iron concentration is greater than 500 micrograms/dL; moreover, they will be absent collectively (predictive value negative = 95%) when the serum iron concentration is below 500 micrograms/dL. Individually, these signs and symptoms have a low positive predictive value, but the absence of any one of these variables is likely to be associated with serum iron concentrations less than 500 micrograms/dL (predictive value negative > or = 93%). The ratio of serum iron concentration to the total iron-binding capacity was not associated with symptoms of systemic iron toxicity or presence of vin rosé urine after parenteral deferoxamine administration. A serum iron concentration in excess of the total iron-binding capacity may not identify patients with serious iron poisoning.
authors: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163.
authors: P A
authors: PA
authors: Chyka
authors: A Y
authors: AY
authors: Butler
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000097:blood; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000097:blood; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D014839:Vomiting / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007501:Iron