Methaemoglobinaemia in an infant after eating vegetable puree

Alonso Vega L, Gutiérrez Conde ML, Canduela Martínez V, Hernández Herrero M, Tazón Varela M, Pérez Mier LA

Cyanosis is a clinical sign due to the presence of bluish coloration

of skin and mucosae, caused by an increase in the reduced

form of hemoglobin in the capillaries, or, less frequently, to the

presence of methemoglobinemia (ferric form of hemoglobin). Its origin

can be contact or ingestion of exogenous oxidating toxic agents like

aniline dyes, nitrobencene, drugs or nitrogen compounds from different

origin or vegetables with high nitrate content (1 and 2). We report a case

of a 8-month-old female infant who was brought to the emergency

room with no symptoms except cyanosis of the lips and acral areas

(hands and feet) after the ingestion of a mixed vegetable puree, prepared

and conserved at room temperature. Her methemoglobin level determined

by cooximetry was 22.8%. She was treated during 24 hour

with oxygen and observation and evolved satisfactorily.

Alonso Vega L, Canduela Martínez V, Gutiérrez Conde ML, Hernández Herrero M, Pérez Mier LA, Tazón Varela M