Severe scombroid poisoning and life-threatening hypotension

Abstract

Scombroid fish poisoning (SFP), the most common fish-related illness worldwide, is a histamine response caused by the heat stable toxin histamine. A healthy 48-year-old woman and co-author of this paper developed palpitations, tachycardia and hypotension 10 min after a tuna steak dinner. She subsequently developed numbness of her face, flushing, conjunctival erythema, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache and chest pain. Her ECG revealed tachycardia with ST depression. Her hypotension did not respond to fluid resuscitation, and she required phenylephrine. Based on exposure history, clinical syndrome, exclusion of other diseases and consultation with poison control, a diagnosis of scombroid poisoning was established. The state health department was notified. The patient was weaned off vasopressors, dosed famotidine and discharged 43 hours after fish ingestion with no symptoms and normal ECG. SFP is an often misdiagnosed and underreported illness with the potential to cause life-threatening hypotension.

Two Case Reports of Scombroid in Singapore: A Literature Review

“…While mostly self-limiting and mild, there have been reports of life-threatening scombroid poisoning. A previously healthy young woman developed hypotension needing vasopressors with ST depressions [ 9 ] while another scombroid poisoning was complicated by acute pancreatitis [ 10 ]. Some cases were severe enough to need ICU admissions.…”