Shades of Blue: A Case Series of Acquired Methemoglobinemia with Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/qs8jx241Keywords:
Methhemoglobinemia, Pesticide, Methylene blueAbstract
Methemoglobinemia is a significant medical condition that can result from oxidative stress in the body. It leads to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues due to altered hemoglobin, which decreases the ability to bind oxygen. As a result, a patient's oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry may be lower, even when supplemental oxygen is provided, while the SaO2 measured through blood gas analysis remains normal. This discrepancy creates a saturation gap. The treatment for methemoglobinemia is methylene blue, which can reverse the condition. Recognizing that methemoglobinemia can be fatal if not addressed promptly is crucial. Early diagnosis through co-oximetry is essential. By identifying the saturation gap, healthcare providers can initiate early treatment with methylene blue, leading to better patient outcomes.
References
Chowdhary, S. et al. Risk of Topical Anesthetic–Induced
Methemoglobinemia: A 10-Year Retrospective Case-
Control Study. JAMA Intern. Med.173, 771–776 (2013).
Zhao, L. et al. Case report: Methemoglobinemia caused
by nitrobenzene poisoning. Front. Med.10, (2023).
George, T., Shaikh, A. I., Thomas, L. & Kundavaram,
A. P. Severe methemoglobinemia due to insecticide
poisoning. Indian J. Crit. Care Med. Peer-Rev. Off. Publ.
Indian Soc. Crit. Care Med.18, 113–114 (2014).
Mauro, A. et al. An acquired acute methemoglobinemia
from dietary sources: Case reports and literature
review. Emerg. Care J.17, (2021).
Cannata, G. et al. The Dose Makes the Poison: A
Case Report of Acquired Methemoglobinemia. Int. J.
Environ. Res. Public. Health17, 1845 (2020).
A Case Series of Acquired Methemoglobinemia Due to
Pesticides: Conventional to Novel Therapies. https://
www.ijccr.org/abstractArticleContentBrowse/
IJCCR/31803/JPJ/fullText.
Successful treatment of methemoglobinemia in an
elderly couple with severe cyanosis: two case reports
| Journal of Medical Case Reports | Full Text.
https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/
articles/10.1186/1752-1947-6-290.
Methemoglobinemia: A Case Report - PubMed.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rashmi Ranjan Pattanayak, K Smita Reddy, Biswabikash Mohanty, Pravat Ranjan Sahoo, Amol Parate
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en