ArticleBMJ case reports2017
An unusual presentation of chronic cyanide toxicity from self-prescribed apricot kernel extract.
Article in BMJ case reports, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cyanide and Cyanogenic Compounds-Toxicity, Molecular Targets, and Therapeutic Agents.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Toxicity of herbal medications suggested as treatment for COVID-19: A narrative review.Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open · 2021Review
- Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels.EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Hypoxia under general anaesthesia is a potentially life-threatening condition. A seemingly well 67-year-old man appeared hypoxic with peripheral pulse oximetric measurement during routine anaesthesia. Postoperatively, the patient admitted to daily self-prescription of apricot kernel extract for a period of 5 years. Apricot kernel is a commonly taken extract used for a range of ailments, and is associated with cyanide toxicity, which was confirmed through blood analysis. Our explanation for the hypoxic measurement was the presence of free cyanide interfering with functioning of the peripheral pulse oximeter. On cessation of the apricot kernel extract, peripheral oxygen saturations returned to normal. Cardiac and respiratory causes together with rare haemoglobinopathies were excluded. This case illustrates how chronic dosing of complementary medicines can result in harmful toxicities, which may carry potential for serious consequences and how these chronic toxicities may present to physicians in atypical ways.
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