Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy and Lipid Dysmetabolism in a Critically Ill Patient After a Short Course of Amiodarone

Hepatic Encephalopathy Caused by Long-Term Amiodarone Use

This case describes a 72-year-old Japanese woman with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia who had received a total of 215 g of amiodarone over six years and presented with hepatic encephalopathy. The abdominal non-contrast computed tomography showed diffusely increased attenuation of the liver parenchyma. The liver biopsy revealed drug-induced steatohepatitis. No genetic variations in the urea cycle were found. She was ultimately diagnosed with drug-induced steatohepatitis and urea cycle abnormalities caused by long-term amiodarone use. Amiodarone may cause drug-induced steatohepatitis and urea cycle abnormalities, which could induce hyperammonemia. Although case reports of amiodarone-induced hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy have already been reported, we present a typical picture of an amiodarone-induced bright liver, including the mechanism of amiodarone-induced hyperammonemia, to provide an educational learning point for many readers.

Carnitine Deficiency after Long-Term Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy

A 60-year-old man was admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a rapidly progressive respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. He developed numerous complications including acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring prolonged continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Enteral feeding was initiated on day 8. Despite nutritional management, there was a remarkable amyotrophy and weight loss. On day 85 in the ICU, the patient became progressively unresponsive. An extensive metabolic workup was performed, and blood results showed hyperammoniemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Plasma free carnitine level was low, as was also copper. After carnitine supplementation, the neurological condition rapidly improved, and metabolic perturbations regressed. Prolonged CRRT may be complicated by clinically significant deficiency in micronutrients and trace elements.