Abstract
Purpose: To report the case of a colchicine overdose to highlight current limitations in the treatment of this toxicologic emergency. Summary: A 23-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after attempting suicide via polypharmacy ingestion, which included 80 to 100 colchicine 0.6 mg tablets (approximately 0.9 mg/kg of body weight). He was taken to the emergency department where gastric decontamination was initiated. Because attempts to obtain a colchicine-specific antibody fragment (Fab) were unsuccessful, only supportive therapies were provided throughout his hospitalization. Over the course of several days, the patient experienced the 3 separate evolutionary phases of colchicine toxicity ultimately leading to multiple organ failure and hemodynamic collapse, and death. Conclusion: Acute colchicine intoxication is a rare, but potentially life-threatening event. Although 1 case report demonstrated the successful use of a colchicine-specific Fab fragment in the management of acute colchicine overdose, there is presently no commercially-available antidote for colchicine toxicity. Prompt recognition of the overdose, aggressive gastrointestinal decontamination, and supportive therapies directed at the multi-organ failure remain the standard of care.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 49-53 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Hospital Pharmacy |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 2010 |
Fingerprint
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Pharmacology (medical)
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy
Cite this
Colchicine overdose - The need for a specific antidote. / Fagan, Nancy L.; Wear, Robert E.; Malesker, Mark A.; Morrow, Lee E.; Schuller, Dan.
In: Hospital Pharmacy, Vol. 45, No. 1, 2010, p. 49-53.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Colchicine overdose - The need for a specific antidote
AU - Fagan, Nancy L.
AU - Wear, Robert E.
AU - Malesker, Mark A.
AU - Morrow, Lee E.
AU - Schuller, Dan
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Purpose: To report the case of a colchicine overdose to highlight current limitations in the treatment of this toxicologic emergency. Summary: A 23-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after attempting suicide via polypharmacy ingestion, which included 80 to 100 colchicine 0.6 mg tablets (approximately 0.9 mg/kg of body weight). He was taken to the emergency department where gastric decontamination was initiated. Because attempts to obtain a colchicine-specific antibody fragment (Fab) were unsuccessful, only supportive therapies were provided throughout his hospitalization. Over the course of several days, the patient experienced the 3 separate evolutionary phases of colchicine toxicity ultimately leading to multiple organ failure and hemodynamic collapse, and death. Conclusion: Acute colchicine intoxication is a rare, but potentially life-threatening event. Although 1 case report demonstrated the successful use of a colchicine-specific Fab fragment in the management of acute colchicine overdose, there is presently no commercially-available antidote for colchicine toxicity. Prompt recognition of the overdose, aggressive gastrointestinal decontamination, and supportive therapies directed at the multi-organ failure remain the standard of care.
AB - Purpose: To report the case of a colchicine overdose to highlight current limitations in the treatment of this toxicologic emergency. Summary: A 23-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after attempting suicide via polypharmacy ingestion, which included 80 to 100 colchicine 0.6 mg tablets (approximately 0.9 mg/kg of body weight). He was taken to the emergency department where gastric decontamination was initiated. Because attempts to obtain a colchicine-specific antibody fragment (Fab) were unsuccessful, only supportive therapies were provided throughout his hospitalization. Over the course of several days, the patient experienced the 3 separate evolutionary phases of colchicine toxicity ultimately leading to multiple organ failure and hemodynamic collapse, and death. Conclusion: Acute colchicine intoxication is a rare, but potentially life-threatening event. Although 1 case report demonstrated the successful use of a colchicine-specific Fab fragment in the management of acute colchicine overdose, there is presently no commercially-available antidote for colchicine toxicity. Prompt recognition of the overdose, aggressive gastrointestinal decontamination, and supportive therapies directed at the multi-organ failure remain the standard of care.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77951609109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77951609109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Review article
VL - 45
SP - 49
EP - 53
JO - Hospital Pharmacy
JF - Hospital Pharmacy
SN - 0018-5787
IS - 1
ER -