title: [A potentially fatal intoxication with colchicine].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately ten times a year the Dutch National Poisons Information Centre (NVIC) is consulted regarding a colchicine intoxication or overdose.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 18-year old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit after a suicide attempt with a potentially lethal dosage of colchicine tablets (0.5 mg/kg body weight). After a few hours the patient developed abdominal pain and vomited. Over subsequent days she developed anaemia, thrombocytopenia and a paralytic ileus. Treatment mainly comprised intensive supportive care, including sedation, ventilation and repeated administration of activated charcoal. After a week she gradually began to recover and was able to leave IC 10 days after ingestion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early recognition and treatment of colchicine intoxication is crucial to preventing a fatal outcome. Complete recovery is possible if extensive supportive treatment is given.
authors: Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht.
authors: Jurjen J
authors: JJ
authors: Boonstra
authors: Anne A
authors: AA
authors: Kan
authors: Irma
authors: I
authors: de Vries
authors: Vera H M
authors: VH
authors: Deneer
authors: Arend-Jan
authors: AJ
authors: Meinders
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D000293:Adolescent; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000506:poisoning*; D003422:Critical Care; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D014839:Vomiting
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D003078:Colchicine