Diphenhydramine Intoxication With Blood Extended Half-Life and a False Positive Result for Tricyclic Antidepressants.

Diphenhydramine is a first-generation antihistamine medication. Acute intoxication with diphenhydramine can be severe and potentially fatal. The current case is of a 13-year-old girl who presented with central nervous system depression after voluntary intake of unknown drugs. Serum concentration analysis showed diphenhydramine intoxication, blood half-life extension, and a false positive result for tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) in urine examination. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of confirmed diphenhydramine overdose with a false positive result for TCAs and measurement of the serum level in a child. Considering the similarities between the clinical symptoms of diphenhydramine and TCA intoxication, this case illustrates that all physicians should consider the possibility of cross-reactivity during the diagnosis of patients with unknown acute drug intoxication who test positive for TCAs.

Olanzapine Overdose in a Two-Year-Old Girl Resulting in Both High Serum and Plasma Levels.

The antipsychotic olanzapine is used increasingly to treat various psychiatric illnesses. Accidental olanzapine overdose is uncommon among children. Here, we report a case of a child presenting with an unexplained coma. Accidental ingestion of olanzapine (20 mg) was confirmed by measurement of drug concentrations in both serum and plasma.