Pseudomethemoglobinemia: a case report and review of sulfhemoglobinemia.
OBJECTIVE
To see if methemoglobin could potentially be misdiagnosed and the limitation of present cooximeters.


METHODS
A 17-year-old girl who overingested a combination of cimetidine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen in a suicide attempt.


METHODS
Use of pulse co-oximeters to aid in the diagnosis of suspected sulfhemoglobinemia.


RESULTS
Diagnosis of sulfhemoglobinemia achieved with final confirmation made with gas chromatography. Patient steadily improved with supportive care.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a potential for the diagnosis of methemoglobin with some of the limitations of present co-oximeters. The laboratory diagnosis of sulfhemoglobinemia can be difficult to make.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Morristown Memorial Hospital, NJ 07962-1956, USA.
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D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000506:poisoning; D000293:Adolescent; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000506:poisoning; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000506:poisoning; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009288:Naproxen / Q000506:poisoning; D010092:Oximetry; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013436:Sulfhemoglobinemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis*
D000082:Acetaminophen; D009288:Naproxen; D002927:Cimetidine; D007052:Ibuprofen