Question Of The Day

Botulism immune globulin (BIG) contains neutralizing antibodies towards what antigenic variants of botulinum toxins? Each 50 mg of BIG contains at least 15 IU of neutralizing antibodies directed against toxin type A and at least 4 IU of neutralizing antibodies directed against toxin type B…

Ingestion of Hawthorne root can cause what false-positive laboratory test? False positive serum digoxin concentration. Hawthorne root (Crategus mexicana) with the Spanish common name “raiz de tejocote”, contains flavonoids that appear to cross-react with the digoxin assay. Two case reports found apparent digoxin concentrations of…

Historical QOD 3/13/2009: True or False:  The only currently used mouthwash ingredient to which death has been attributed is ethanol. False. A death from ingestion of three liters of an essential-oil-containing mouthwash was attributed to the terpenes that were the active ingredients in the mouthwash….

True or False. According to a recent study, patients with drug related out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are less likely than those with presumed cardiac causes of arrest to receive bystander resuscitation but are more likely to survive. TRUE Orkin AM, Zhan C, Buick JE, et al….

In a secondary analysis examining the association of QRS complex duration prolongation with serious adverse effects, the positive predictive value was highest for which adverse effect amongst the xenobiotics studied? Seizures Simon M, Kaplan S, Muschler K, Hoyte C, Brent J. The role of QRS…

According to an article in 2024, above what amount of caffeine ingestion can cause fatal arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation? 6.0 g of caffeine Mitsui D, Kamijo Y, Yoshino T, Hanazawa T, Yoshizawa T, Iwase F. Severe caffeine poisoning treated with intermittent hemodialysis under circulatory…

In a retrospective cohort study of patients with acetaminophen toxicity what was the likelihood of having abdominal pain as a symptom? approximately 30% in total (however 60% for those who definitely had symptom of abdominal pain or lack of abdominal pain accounted for) Wang C,…

Historical QOD 3/10/2009: True or False:  Firefighters are often exposed to hazardous substances (including carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride, benzene, and sulfur dioxide), but their serum biochemical profiles are not significantly different from controls. False.  A study in Saudi Arabian firefighters showed statistically significant…

What is Gulran Disease? Gulran Disease refers to poisoning from pyrrolizidine alkaloids (primarily heliotrine) from consuming bread made from wheat contaminated with Heliotropium spp. Gulran refers to the Gulran district of Herat Province. Kakar F, Akbarian Z, Leslie T, Mustafa ML, Watson J, van Egmond…

1,4-butanediol serves as a prodrug to what compound? Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). 1,4-butanediol is converted to GHB through the intermediate compound 4-hydroxybutyradehyde, via the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase, respectively. In the United States, the salt form of GHB (sodium oxybate) is approved for the…