title: Acute life-threatening methaemoglobinaemia following ingestion of chloroquine.
abstract: A 25 year old man was rushed to the emergency department when he was found unconscious in his room after taking two chloroquine tablets (600 mg base) for fever prescribed by local practitioner. On examination, the patient was unconscious and deep cyanosis was present on lips, tongue, oral cavity, nail beds and finger tips. Subsequent laboratory investigation revealed methaemoglobin level of 54%. Diagnosis of chloroquine-induced methaemoglobinaemia was made and methylene blue (1 mg/kg) was administered. The patient improved dramatically and was discharged following day.
authors.affiliation: General Medicine Department, J N Medical College, Aligarh, UP, India. imranrizvi09@gmail.com
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rizvi
authors.forename: Shamsuz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.forename: Noorin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Mohammed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Asif
authors.forename: Nasar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abdali
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005334:Fever / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008708:Methemoglobinemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D002738:Chloroquine; D008751:Methylene Blue