Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report
Introduction: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant widely used in treating epilepsy which can occur cases of poisoning in overdose situations. Case description: A 15-year-old girl purposely ingested about 100 drug tablets according to family members. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal was pe...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Toxicology Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000022 |
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| author | André Valle de Bairros Karol Andriely de Vargas Paier Leonardo Corrêa Cardoso Fernanda Ziegler Reginato Gustavo Andrade Ugalde Ivy Bauer Lovatel Miguel Roehrs |
| author_facet | André Valle de Bairros Karol Andriely de Vargas Paier Leonardo Corrêa Cardoso Fernanda Ziegler Reginato Gustavo Andrade Ugalde Ivy Bauer Lovatel Miguel Roehrs |
| author_sort | André Valle de Bairros |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant widely used in treating epilepsy which can occur cases of poisoning in overdose situations. Case description: A 15-year-old girl purposely ingested about 100 drug tablets according to family members. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal was performed at home using a nasogastric tube and patient just was taken to the hospital around 10 h after drug ingestion, arriving in shock state. All laboratorial parameters were altered together a suspect of aspiration pneumonia with the presence of gross perihilar infiltrated in the right lung. Immunoassay screening test did not detect any substance; LC-UV detected quetiapine (> 150 ng/mL) while GC-MS determined 977.96 µg/mL of valproic acid in the patient’s plasma, confirming valproic acid intoxication. Appropriate life support was performed in the patient during hospitalization; however, she died two days later, reaching her suicide. Conclusions: Prognosis could be favorable if the patient was taken immediately to hospital emergency, considering the complexity of managing poisoning. Patient´s anamnesis must be carefully analyzed by the healthcare professional to avoid false conclusions and toxicological analysis is extremely important to clarify suspected poisoning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a2f6f2ec518340459371c1a92e5bcccf |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2214-7500 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxicology Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-a2f6f2ec518340459371c1a92e5bcccf2025-01-19T06:25:03ZengElsevierToxicology Reports2214-75002025-06-0114101891Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case reportAndré Valle de Bairros0Karol Andriely de Vargas Paier1Leonardo Corrêa Cardoso2Fernanda Ziegler Reginato3Gustavo Andrade Ugalde4Ivy Bauer Lovatel5Miguel Roehrs6Nucleus Applied to Toxicology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil; Correspondence to: Nucleus Applied to Toxicology, Center of Health Sciences 26A, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenue Roraima, 1000, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil.Nucleus Applied to Toxicology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilNucleus Applied to Toxicology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilNucleus Applied to Toxicology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilNucleus Applied to Toxicology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilUniversity Hospital of Santa Maria, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilLaboratory of Clinical Analysis, University Hospital of Santa Maria, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, BrazilIntroduction: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant widely used in treating epilepsy which can occur cases of poisoning in overdose situations. Case description: A 15-year-old girl purposely ingested about 100 drug tablets according to family members. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal was performed at home using a nasogastric tube and patient just was taken to the hospital around 10 h after drug ingestion, arriving in shock state. All laboratorial parameters were altered together a suspect of aspiration pneumonia with the presence of gross perihilar infiltrated in the right lung. Immunoassay screening test did not detect any substance; LC-UV detected quetiapine (> 150 ng/mL) while GC-MS determined 977.96 µg/mL of valproic acid in the patient’s plasma, confirming valproic acid intoxication. Appropriate life support was performed in the patient during hospitalization; however, she died two days later, reaching her suicide. Conclusions: Prognosis could be favorable if the patient was taken immediately to hospital emergency, considering the complexity of managing poisoning. Patient´s anamnesis must be carefully analyzed by the healthcare professional to avoid false conclusions and toxicological analysis is extremely important to clarify suspected poisoning.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000022Valproic acidPoisoning managementToxicological analysisAnamnesis |
| spellingShingle | André Valle de Bairros Karol Andriely de Vargas Paier Leonardo Corrêa Cardoso Fernanda Ziegler Reginato Gustavo Andrade Ugalde Ivy Bauer Lovatel Miguel Roehrs Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report Toxicology Reports Valproic acid Poisoning management Toxicological analysis Anamnesis |
| title | Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report |
| title_full | Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report |
| title_fullStr | Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report |
| title_short | Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report |
| title_sort | valproic acid intoxication the importance of toxicological analysis and correct management a case report |
| topic | Valproic acid Poisoning management Toxicological analysis Anamnesis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000022 |
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