Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Misidentification of propionic acid as ethylene glycol in a patient with methylmalonic acidemia

1992; Elsevier BV; Volume: 120; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0022-3476(05)80909-6

1097-6833

James D. Shoemaker, Robert E. Lynch, Joseph W. Hoffmann, William S. Sly,

Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection

Reexamination of serum from a child thought to have died of ethylene glycol poisoning showed that the child had methylmalonic acidemia. The gas chromatographic peak identified as ethylene glycol by a clinical laboratory was actually due to propionic acid. Proof of a metabolic basis for the child's symptoms eventually exonerated his mother of the charge of murder. Reexamination of serum from a child thought to have died of ethylene glycol poisoning showed that the child had methylmalonic acidemia. The gas chromatographic peak identified as ethylene glycol by a clinical laboratory was actually due to propionic acid. Proof of a metabolic basis for the child's symptoms eventually exonerated his mother of the charge of murder.