Fatal Neutropenic Enterocolitis Following Methotrexate Overdose: A Case Report
Abstract
Methotrexate, a folic acid antagonist, is widely used in the treatment of neoplasms in addition to diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Although well tolerated under normal conditions, the use of more than the recommended doses may cause life-threatening toxicities. Toxicity due to high doses of methotrexate is manifested by bone marrow inhibition, gastrointestinal mucosal damage and pancytopenia. Most cases result from overdose. However, serious adverse events that result in mortality, in particular those of mixing medication in elderly patients, are rare. Herein, we present the case of a 72-year-old man who admitted to the emergency department with painful oral ulcers, inability to swallow and a general impaired condition, and died of sepsis after developing neutropenic enterocolitis following a fever and neutropenia.
Keywords
References
- Altındağ Ö, Küçükoğlu B. Intoxication due to high dose methotrexate in a patient with arthritis: A case report. Turk J Rheumatol. 2011;26(1):58-60.
- Cheng KK. Association of plasma methotrexate, neutropenia, hepatic dysfunction, nausea/vomiting and oral mucositis in children with cancer. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2008;17(3):306-11.
- Romão VC, Lima A, Bernardes M, Canhão H, Fonseca JE. Three decades of low-dose methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: Can we predict toxicity? Immunol Res. 2014;60(2-3):289-310.
- Madke B, Singh AL. Acute methotrexate toxicity. Indian J Drugs Dermatol. 2015;1(1):46-9.
- Gutierrez-Ureña S, Molina JF, García CO, Cuéllar ML, Espinoza LR. Pancytopenia secondary to MTX therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1996;39(2):272-6.
- Schlatter M, Snyder K, Freyer D. Successful non operative management of typhlitis in pediatric oncology patients. J Pediatr Surg. 2002;37(8):1151-5.
- Tsukada T, Nakano T, Miyata T, Sasaki S. Life-threatening gastrointestinal mucosal necrosis during methotrexate treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2013;7(3):470-5.
- Peker A, Yarkıcı H, Akar H. Gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to use of high-dose methotrexate: A case report. J Surg Med. 2018;2(2):151-3.
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Clinical Sciences
Journal Section
Case Report
Authors
Nevin İnce
*
0000-0002-0129-4536
Türkiye
Bekir Tunca
0000-0003-4756-5968
Türkiye
Dilek Yekenkurul
0000-0002-4456-7485
Türkiye
Mustafa Yıldırım
0000-0001-8165-1814
Türkiye
Publication Date
December 30, 2019
Submission Date
October 28, 2019
Acceptance Date
December 6, 2019
Published in Issue
Year 2019 Volume: 21 Number: 3
