Near-fatal cocaine intoxication in an infant with thrombotic microangiopathy associated with multiple organ failure

OBJECTIVE

To report a pediatric case of drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy caused by cocaine.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We report a nine-month-old patient who developed thrombotic microangiopathies after extreme cocaine intoxication, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome with hemodynamic dysfunction, anuric renal failure, liver failure, encephalopathy, and myocardial injury, corresponding phenotypically to thrombocytopenia-associated multiple organ failure. The patient received continuous venous hemofiltration and therapeutic plasma exchange, recovering satisfactorily. She was discharged after 30 days of hospitalization under the guidance of the childcare service, and was healthy after one year of follow-up. Toxicological samples confirmed high levels of cocaine and derivatives in blood, urine and hair.

COMMENTS

To our knowledge, this is the first reported pediatric case. There are particularities of cocaine intoxication pathophysiology that can trigger thrombotic microangiopathies because of vasoconstriction, direct endothelial injury, platelet activation, and increasing von Willebrand factor and fibrinogen levels. All of which results in a prothrombotic state, inflammatory dysregulation, and microvascular thrombi. The increasing use of cocaine, especially among young adults, puts children at high risk of toxicity, either by passive unintentional exposure, or abuse due to the increased availability in homes.

[Extreme electrolyte depletion associated with septic shock as a form of presentation of cystic fibrosis]

In the pediatric emergency department, dehydrated children are one of the most frequent causes for consultation, however, the coexistence of hyponatremia with hypochloremia and metabolic alkalosis is rare. The presence of metabolic alkalosis due to chloride depletion has been reported as a form of presentation of Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

OBJECTIVE

to describe a case of cystic fibrosis of unusual presen tation in a pediatric patient.

CLINICAL CASE

we report a 3-month-old previously healthy male infant who presented with internal environment abnormalities consisting of metabolic alkalosis, hypona tremia, hypokalemia, and extreme hypochloremia associated with septic shock due to mixed viral- bacterial pneumonia (Rhino/enterovirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus). Cys tic fibrosis (CF) was suspected, thus the diagnosis was corroborated by sweat test and genetic study which showed the pathogenic variants c.2834C>T (p.Ser945Leu) and c.3484C>T (p.Arg1162X), both heterozygous.

CONCLUSION

special attention should be paid to the existence of hypochloremia with metabolic alkalosis and hyponatremia associated or not with pulmonary disease, suspecting CF as the first option. This consideration becomes more relevant in those countries where the neonatal screening test is not widely available.