Sulfohemoglobinemia secundaria a zopiclona. Casos clínicos / Sulfhemoglobinemia secondary to the use of zopiclone. Report of two cases

Sulfhemoglobin (SulfHb) is formed by hemoglobin (Hb) oxidation by sulfur compounds. Sulfhemoglobinemia is mainly associated with drugs or intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Patients present with central cyanosis, an abnormal pulse oximetry and normal arterial oxygen partial pressure. These features are shared with methemoglobinemia (MetHb) whose diagnosis requires an arterial co-oximetry. Depending on the device used, SulfHb may produce interference with this technique. We report two females aged 31 and 43 years, consulting at the emergency room with cyanosis. Both had a history of acute and chronic, high dose zopiclone ingestion. Pulse oximetry showed desaturation but with normal arterial oxygen partial pressure. Cardiac and pulmonary diseases were ruled out. Co-oximetry in two different analyzers showed interference or normal MetHb percentages. No other complications ensued, and cyanosis decreased over days. Since MetHb was discarded among other causes of cyanosis in a compatible clinical context, the diagnosis of sulfhemoglobinemia was made. The confirmatory method is not available in Chile. The presence of SulfHb is difficult to diagnose, confirmatory tests are not readily available, and it frequently interferes with arterial co-oximetry. This is attributed to a similar absorbance peak of both pigments in arterial blood. Venous co-oximetry can be useful in this context. SulfHb is a self-limited condition in most cases, however it must be differentiated from methemoglobinemia to avoid inappropriate treatments like methylene blue.

[Sulfhemoglobinemia secondary to the use of zopiclone. Report of two cases]. / Sulfohemoglobinemia secundaria a zopiclona. Casos clínicos.

Sulfhemoglobin (SulfHb) is formed by hemoglobin (Hb) oxidation by sulfur compounds. Sulfhemoglobinemia is mainly associated with drugs or intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Patients present with central cyanosis, an abnormal pulse oximetry and normal arterial oxygen partial pressure. These features are shared with methemoglobinemia (MetHb) whose diagnosis requires an arterial co-oximetry. Depending on the device used, SulfHb may produce interference with this technique. We report two females aged 31 and 43 years, consulting at the emergency room with cyanosis. Both had a history of acute and chronic, high dose zopiclone ingestion. Pulse oximetry showed desaturation but with normal arterial oxygen partial pressure. Cardiac and pulmonary diseases were ruled out. Co-oximetry in two different analyzers showed interference or normal MetHb percentages. No other complications ensued, and cyanosis decreased over days. Since MetHb was discarded among other causes of cyanosis in a compatible clinical context, the diagnosis of sulfhemoglobinemia was made. The confirmatory method is not available in Chile. The presence of SulfHb is difficult to diagnose, confirmatory tests are not readily available, and it frequently interferes with arterial co-oximetry. This is attributed to a similar absorbance peak of both pigments in arterial blood. Venous co-oximetry can be useful in this context. SulfHb is a self-limited condition in most cases, however it must be differentiated from methemoglobinemia to avoid inappropriate treatments like methylene blue.

Neonatal Sulfhemoglobinemia and Hemolytic Anemia Associated With Intestinal Morganella morganii.

Sulfhemoglobinemia is a rare disorder characterized by the presence of sulfhemoglobin in the blood. It is typically drug-induced and may cause hypoxia, end-organ damage, and death through oxygen deprivation. We present here a case of non-drug-induced sulfhemoglobinemia in a 7-day-old preterm infant complicated by hemolytic anemia. Microbiota compositional analysis of fecal samples to investigate the origin of hydrogen sulphide revealed the presence of Morganella morganii at a relative abundance of 38% of the total fecal microbiota at the time of diagnosis. M morganii was not detected in the fecal samples of 40 age-matched control preterm infants. M morganii is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause serious infection, particularly in immunocompromised hosts such as neonates. Strains of M morganii are capable of producing hydrogen sulphide, and virulence factors include the production of a diffusible α-hemolysin. The infant in this case survived intact through empirical oral and intravenous antibiotic therapy, probiotic administration, and red blood cell transfusions. This coincided with a reduction in the relative abundance of M morganii to 3%. Neonatologists should have a high index of suspicion for intestinal pathogens in cases of non-drug-induced sulfhemoglobinemia and consider empirical treatment of the intestinal microbiota in this potentially lethal condition.

Acrocyanosis from phenazopyridine-induced sulfhemoglobinemia mistaken for Raynaud phenomenon.

Rheumatologists are often asked to evaluate patients with Raynaud phenomenon. Occasionally, an alternate explanation is revealed such as acrocyanosis. Methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia are rare causes of cyanosis that can be medication-induced. Both are known complications of therapy with phenazopyridine. We report an unusual case of a 45-year-old woman in whom sulfhemoglobinemia from chronic therapy with phenazopyridine was misdiagnosed as due to Raynaud phenomenon and limited scleroderma. This case illustrates the importance of taking into account medication-related adverse events when evaluating patients with Raynaud-like phenomenon.

[Preoperative care and accumulation of non-active hemoglobin derivatives in blood of patients]. / Predoperatsionnaia podgotovka i nakoplenie neaktivnykh derivatov gemoglobina v krovi bol'nykh.

A study of the concentration of met- and sulfhemoglobine in patients on admission to the clinic and at the end of the preoperative management and treatment was carried out upon 35 surgical cases. The medicamentous therapy included the drugs favouring the restoration of methemoglobin (10.20% and 40% glucose solutions, ascorbic acid etc.). Therewith the concentration of non-active hemoglobine derivatives dropped at the end of the preoperative management and treatment.