Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis

Patients intoxicated with methamphetamine-like substances may present with myoglobinuria but rarely require admission. An 18-year-old female was admitted due to intoxication with pervitin, a methamphetamine derivative. She presented with an altered mental status, fever, and increased heart and respi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eva Svobodová, Tomáš Drábek, Helena Brodská
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Karolinum Press 2022-11-01
Series:Prague Medical Report
Online Access:https://pmr.lf1.cuni.cz/123/4/0266/
_version_ 1811304699561771008
author Eva Svobodová
Tomáš Drábek
Helena Brodská
author_facet Eva Svobodová
Tomáš Drábek
Helena Brodská
author_sort Eva Svobodová
collection DOAJ
description Patients intoxicated with methamphetamine-like substances may present with myoglobinuria but rarely require admission. An 18-year-old female was admitted due to intoxication with pervitin, a methamphetamine derivative. She presented with an altered mental status, fever, and increased heart and respiratory rates. Biomarkers showed leukocytosis and markedly increased procalcitonin levels, suggestive of sepsis. However, blood cultures and infectious disease workup were unrevealing. Clinical course was heralded by rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria resulting in multi-organ failure including respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic compromise with need for inotropic support, and an acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy. Surprisingly, after a transient improvement, an unexpected second peak of myoglobin was observed on hospital day 5, controlled by intensifying the elimination methods, and administration of dantrolene. Acute kidney injury resolved by hospital day 15, and the patient could be discharged on day 22. While most patients with intoxications are discharged within 24 hours from emergency departments without being admitted, our case report highlights that the organ injury may evolve beyond the usual observation period, traditional renal-replacement therapies may not be sufficient to mitigate myoglobinemia with resulting acute kidney injury, and that procalcitonin may not be a reliable biomarker of infection in the setting of drug-induced rhabdomyolysis.
first_indexed 2024-04-13T08:12:01Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ff8c0d8592724b0e9d25127a49e874d4
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1214-6994
2336-2936
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-13T08:12:01Z
publishDate 2022-11-01
publisher Karolinum Press
record_format Article
series Prague Medical Report
spelling doaj.art-ff8c0d8592724b0e9d25127a49e874d42022-12-22T02:54:56ZengKarolinum PressPrague Medical Report1214-69942336-29362022-11-01123426627810.14712/23362936.2022.25Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with SepsisEva SvobodováTomáš DrábekHelena BrodskáPatients intoxicated with methamphetamine-like substances may present with myoglobinuria but rarely require admission. An 18-year-old female was admitted due to intoxication with pervitin, a methamphetamine derivative. She presented with an altered mental status, fever, and increased heart and respiratory rates. Biomarkers showed leukocytosis and markedly increased procalcitonin levels, suggestive of sepsis. However, blood cultures and infectious disease workup were unrevealing. Clinical course was heralded by rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria resulting in multi-organ failure including respiratory failure necessitating mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic compromise with need for inotropic support, and an acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy. Surprisingly, after a transient improvement, an unexpected second peak of myoglobin was observed on hospital day 5, controlled by intensifying the elimination methods, and administration of dantrolene. Acute kidney injury resolved by hospital day 15, and the patient could be discharged on day 22. While most patients with intoxications are discharged within 24 hours from emergency departments without being admitted, our case report highlights that the organ injury may evolve beyond the usual observation period, traditional renal-replacement therapies may not be sufficient to mitigate myoglobinemia with resulting acute kidney injury, and that procalcitonin may not be a reliable biomarker of infection in the setting of drug-induced rhabdomyolysis.https://pmr.lf1.cuni.cz/123/4/0266/
spellingShingle Eva Svobodová
Tomáš Drábek
Helena Brodská
Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
Prague Medical Report
title Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
title_full Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
title_fullStr Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
title_full_unstemmed Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
title_short Pervitin Intoxication with Two-peak Massive Myoglobinemia, Acute Kidney Injury and Marked Procalcitonin Increase Not Associated with Sepsis
title_sort pervitin intoxication with two peak massive myoglobinemia acute kidney injury and marked procalcitonin increase not associated with sepsis
url https://pmr.lf1.cuni.cz/123/4/0266/
work_keys_str_mv AT evasvobodova pervitinintoxicationwithtwopeakmassivemyoglobinemiaacutekidneyinjuryandmarkedprocalcitoninincreasenotassociatedwithsepsis
AT tomasdrabek pervitinintoxicationwithtwopeakmassivemyoglobinemiaacutekidneyinjuryandmarkedprocalcitoninincreasenotassociatedwithsepsis
AT helenabrodska pervitinintoxicationwithtwopeakmassivemyoglobinemiaacutekidneyinjuryandmarkedprocalcitoninincreasenotassociatedwithsepsis