Paracetamol Overdose May Cause Transudative Pleural Effusion in Adults
Akbas, Ilker, Kocak, Abdullah Osman, Utlu, Sibel Guclu, Dogruyol, Sinem, Cakri, Zeynep
Paracetamol is the most widely used and prescribed drug word-wide. It is the most common cause of the poisoning and of the fatality due to the toxic administration throughout the world. A 34-year-old female patient applied to our ED with the complaint of swallowing 33 g of paracetamol. After routine toxicity treatment, on the third day of the hospitalization, dyspnea and pain on the right hemithorax and right flank occurred. Chest X-ray showed blunted right sinus. CT revealed bilateral pleural effusion. With thoracentesis, clear, colorless and odor-free fluid of about 500cc was drained. Laboratory examination of the fluid confirmed it as transudate. We believed pleural effusion is related to high-dose paracetamol intake and it occurred due to decrease in pleural permeability and the consequent decrease of the fluid absorption. In conclusion, high-dose intake of paracetamol might cause transudative pleural effusion as a complication.
- Journal
- JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE CASE REPORTS
- Year
- 2021
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 41-44
- ISSN
- 2149-9934
- DOI
- 10.33706/jemcr.834306
- WoS UID
- WOS:000749551800003