Buscar en
Medicina Clínica (English Edition)
Toda la web
Inicio Medicina Clínica (English Edition) Metahemoglobinemia in infants over one year
Journal Information
Share
Share
Download PDF
More article options
Visits
1
Clinical report
Metahemoglobinemia in infants over one year
Metahemoglobinemia en lactantes mayores de un año
Visits
1
José Miguel Martínez de Zabarte Fernándeza,
Corresponding author
chemi87@hotmail.com

Corresponding author.
, Juan Pablo García Íñiguezb, Mercedes Domínguez Cajalb
a Pediatría, Hospital Obispo Polanco, Teruel, Spain
b UCI Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
This item has received
Received 01 December 2017. Accepted 21 December 2017
Article information
Abstract
Full Text
Bibliography
Download PDF
Statistics
Abstract
Background and objectives

Methaemoglobinaemia is a typical acute intoxication disorder in children under one-year old. It is produced by excess nitrates which induce the haemoglobin's iron oxidation, preventing its adequate binding to oxygen. It is more frequent in infants due to its lower enzymatic activity.

Patients

Two cases of 15-month-old infants with methaemoglobinaemia after the intake of vegetables, atypical by the age of the patients and the initial severity in the first case that simulated a septic syndrome. Both cases evolved well with adequate oxygen therapy.

Conclusions

Although the most frequent clinical manifestation is cyanosis associated with respiratory distress, methaemoglobinaemia can present with more severe and confusing symptoms. The main treatment is oxygen therapy at high concentrations and methylene blue as an intravenous antidote only in selected cases. The intake of vegetables is the main cause of this in infants, so it is important to give adequate information to parents about the consumption and preservation of these foods during the first year of life.

Keywords:
Methaemoglobinaemia
Food poisoning
Paediatrics
Respiratory distress
Resumen
Antecedentes y objetivo

La metahemoglobinemia es un cuadro de intoxicación aguda típico de niños menores de un año. Se produce por un exceso de nitratos que producen la oxidación del hierro de la hemoglobina impidiendo su adecuada unión al oxígeno. Es más frecuente en lactantes debido a su inferior actividad enzimática.

Pacientes

Dos casos de lactantes de 15 meses con cuadros de metahemoglobinemia tras ingesta de verduras, atípicos por la edad de los pacientes y por la severidad inicial en el primer caso, que llegó a simular un cuadro séptico. En ambos casos se logró la resolución del cuadro con adecuada oxigenoterapia.

Conclusiones

Aunque la clínica más frecuente es cianosis asociada a dificultad respiratoria, la metahemoglobinemia puede presentarse con cuadros más severos y confusos y en mayores de un año. El tratamiento de elección es oxigenoterapia a altas concentraciones y azul de metileno como antídoto por vía intravenosa únicamente en casos seleccionados. La ingesta de vegetales es el principal causante de este cuadro, por lo que es importante dar la información adecuada a los padres sobre el consumo y la conservación de estos alimentos.

Palabras clave:
Metahemoglobinemia
Intoxicación alimentaria
Pediatría
Dificultad respiratoria

Article

These are the options to access the full texts of the publication Medicina Clínica (English Edition)
Subscriber
Subscriber

If you already have your login data, please click here .

If you have forgotten your password you can you can recover it by clicking here and selecting the option “I have forgotten my password”
Subscribe
Subscribe to

Medicina Clínica (English Edition)

Purchase
Purchase article

Purchasing article the PDF version will be downloaded

Price 19.34 €

Purchase now
Contact
Phone for subscriptions and reporting of errors
From Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (GMT + 1) except for the months of July and August which will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Calls from Spain
932 415 960
Calls from outside Spain
+34 932 415 960
E-mail
Article options
Tools
es en pt

¿Es usted profesional sanitario apto para prescribir o dispensar medicamentos?

Are you a health professional able to prescribe or dispense drugs?

Você é um profissional de saúde habilitado a prescrever ou dispensar medicamentos