5 patients treated with perhexiline maleate, 200–400 mg/day for at least 6 months, exhibited evidence of hepatitis. The picture was very similar to acute alcoholic hepatitis, clinically, biologically and histologically with presence of necrosis, Mallory’s hyaline, polynuclear infiltration and to a lesser degree, steatosis. Association with peripheral neuropathy, hypoglycemia, and renal failure appears strikingly frequently. The evolution was severe since 3 patients died within 6 months, even after treatment withdrawal. Further studies are to be done to understand the mechanisms of hepatic and neurologic toxicity, and to measure the hazards of this drug. These studies could bring a new insight to alcohol toxicity.
A 20-yr-old woman with no history of pulmonary disease presented with acute dyspnea and fever. After various investigations and treatments the symptoms persisted and a lung biopsy was performed. Pathologic analysis disclosed the presence of silicotic crystals within lung tissue and mediastinal lymph nodes. The patient admitted having repeatedly inhaled a domestic scouring powder rich in silica during the preceding 6 months. This is the first report of acute pulmonary silicosis developing after exposure to a common household product.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.