Question Of The Day

What is the mechanism of action of taxine B? The mechanism of its effect involves the elevation of cytoplasmic calcium in cardiac myocytes with sodium and calcium channel antagonism. According to the cited reference, the effect is similar to that of verapamil. Ondřej Piskač, Jan…

The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) contains at least 10 different alkaloids that are contained in yew berries, needles, or bark. Of these, which alkaloid is the most active cardiotoxin? Taxine B. The major taxine alkaloids are taxine A and taxine B, and taxine B is…

What antidote for a critically poisoned patient can interfere with point-of-care (POC) glucose measurements? Hydroxocobalamin. In a patient treated with hydroxocobalamin after rescue from a house fire, POC glucose measurements averaged 61 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L) lower than glucose measured in a basic metabolic panel (BMP)….

In a recent prospective study of 59 patients that ingested pyrethroids, what exam signs were seen exclusively in type 2 pyrethroid ingestions compared to type 1 pyrethroid ingestions? The study included 43 patients with type 2 pyrethroid ingestions and 16 patients with type 1 pyrethroid…

In a recent study of the safety and quality of various dietary supplements, how often did the products have accurate labeling? Crawford C et al. evaluated and performed product analysis on 41 dietary supplement products. Only 26.8% of the products had accurate labeling. 63.4% were…

A medicinal diluent prompted the passage of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 after it resulted in an outbreak of mass nephrotoxicity and deaths. What is the toxic metabolite of this diluent that is believed to be responsible for nephrotoxicity? Diglycolic acid (DGA)…

Since 1994, there have been 7 cases of pneumonia with 2 fatalities amongst welders and other metalworkers in Louisiana or Texas. What was determined to be the cause? Fatal Anthrax Pneumonia Caused by Bacillus cereus Group Bacteria Containing Anthrax Toxin Genes. Dawson P, Schrodt CA,…

What is Ioderma? Ioderma is an idiopathic reaction characterized by acneiform, vesicular pustular, hemorrhagic, or urticarial lesions. Other systemic side effects of SSKI include urticaria, fever, eosinophilia, jaundice, pruritus, angioedema, and bronchospasm. High-dose steroid is the therapy of choice, with prompt regression of the symptomatology….

What is the Wolff-Chaikoff effect? In cases of excess iodine, iodine uptake in the thyroid gland is blocked by a decreased activity of the iodine symporter, leading to reduced T4 and increased TSH concentrations. Vlaardingerbroek H. Unusual cause of congenital hypothyroidism in a term infant….

In a recent retrospective study of both acute and chronic lithium poisoned patients, how well did the lithium nomogram predict patients that would have a lithium concentration of < 1 mEq/L at 36 hours? Sam K et al. performed a retrospective analysis of both acute…