Acute theophylline intoxication

Abstract

We describe a case of intentional acute theophylline intoxication with cardiac, cerebral, and gastrointestinal features of moderate-to-severe toxicity. The unusual metabolic and hematologic sequelae included hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis, extreme neutrophilia, increased creatinine levels attributed to muscle damage, and hematuria. The implications of these unusual findings for the management of acute theophylline intoxication include the recognition that these effects can be due to intoxication per se and do not necessarily indicate a primary endocrine disorder or infection.