title: Adverse event associated with methionine loading test: a case report.
abstract: The death of a control subject after an oral load of methionine for a study of the possible relationship between homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease is reported. The subject developed postload plasma concentrations of methionine far beyond those reported previously in humans given the usual oral loading dose of methionine (100 mg/kg body wt). Her preload plasma metabolite values rule out known genetic diseases that might predispose one to unusually high methionine concentrations. The most likely explanation for these events is that the subject received a substantial overdose of methionine. The possibility that extremely high methionine concentrations may lead to severe cerebral effects is discussed, and it is recommended that any move to increase the sensitivity of the usual methionine loading test by increasing the dose of methionine either not be undertaken or be taken only with extreme care.
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cottington
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: LaMantia
authors.forename: Sally P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Stabler
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tangerman
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Zeisel
authors.forename: S Harvey
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Mudd
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001926:Brain Death / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology; D004340:Drug Contamination; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000209:etiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008715:Methionine