Hypoxic Respiratory Failure Due to Three Hits: Pulmonary Embolism, Rasburicase-Induced Methaemoglobinaemia And Haemolytic Anaemia In A Patient with Previously Undiagnosed Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Abstract

We present a 35-year-old male patient who developed hypoxic respiratory failure from three concurrent pathologies–acute pulmonary embolism, methemoglobinemia and oxidative haemolytic anaemia from previously undiagnosed glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, precipitated by rasburicase therapy for tumour lysis syndrome following chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hypoxia resolved upon treating all pathologies, highlighting the need to consider these rare differential diagnoses.