Successful treatment of severe quetiapine intoxication with CytoSorb hemoadsorption

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

While many drug poisonings are successfully treated with specific antidotes, intoxications with tricyclic antidepressants and/or atypical neuroleptics still represent a major challenge. Besides conventional approaches, a new hemoadsorption device might represent an opportunity for therapeutic detoxification.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a 64-year-old female patient who attempted suicide by ingesting an unknown dose of quetiapine. Following application of all available standard diagnostic and therapeutic measures, she was admitted to the intensive care in a deeply somnolent state. Gastroscopy was performed necessitating analgo-sedation, intubation, and mechanical ventilation. Since quetiapine is in principle not dialysable, CytoSorb hemoadsorption was commenced resulting in a clear and rapid decrease in plasma levels of quetiapine and its metabolite norquetiapine over the next few hours. The next day, analgesia was stopped, the patient became alert, and cooperative so that she could be extubated without issues. CytoSorb blood purification therapy was discontinued after 2 days. One day later, the patient was transferred to a psychiatric clinic.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

We were able to quickly and efficiently reduce quetiapine and norquetiapine to non-toxic serum levels and to stabilize a critical situation using CytoSorb. Therefore, in the absence of a proven beneficial treatment regimen, the use of CytoSorb might represent an alternative for life-threatening complications of quetiapine intoxication. In particular, intoxications caused by lipophilic agents should be further evaluated.

Successful Treatment of Severe Lamotrigine Intoxication with CytoSorb Hemoadsorption

Severe intoxication with the anti-epileptic drug, lamotrigine can cause cardiovascular collapse, neurotoxicity - expressed as intractable seizures, and even death. As there is currently no known specific antidote, extracorporeal removal therapies such as CytoSorb hemoadsorption might represent a promising therapeutic option. We report on a deeply comatosed 60-year-old woman who was treated in our intensive care unit with severe lamotrigine intoxication. To support removal from the blood, combined treatment with continuous veno-venous hemodialysis and CytoSorb hemoadsorption was started. Pre- and post-adsorber drug level measurements showed the rapid elimination of lamotrigine accompanied by an impressive clinical improvement in the patient. Two days after treatment discontinuation, there were no more clinical signs of intoxication and the patient could be extubated, followed by transfer to the stroke unit in a stable condition the following day. In the absence of a viable antidote, for the efficient short-term removal of lamotrigine, hemoadsorption with the CytoSorb device could represent a feasible treatment option for patients with severe lamotrigine intoxication.