Repeated atrial arrhythmia induced by cochineal red poisoning:A case report  

作　　者：Hao Yang Yu-Jiao Wang Bao-Ping Xu Huai-Wen Peng Qing Xu Huai-Bin Yu 

机构地区：[1]Department of Intensive Care Unit,Anhui Zhongke Gengjiu Hospital Affiliated To Anhui Medical University,Hefei 230000,Anhui Province,China [2]Graduate School,Anhui University of Chinese Medicine,Hefei 230031,Anhui Province,China [3]Department of Intensive Care Unit,Traditional Chinese Hospital of Lu’an affiliated to Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Lu’an 237000,Anhui Province,China

出　　处：《World Journal of Clinical Cases》2023年第34期8184-8191,共8页世界临床病例杂志

基　　金：Anhui University of Chinese Medicine,No.2022LAY012.

摘　　要：BACKGROUND Cochineal red is an organic compound widely used in food,cosmetics,pharmaceuticals,textiles,and other fields due to its excellent safety profile.Poisoning caused by eating foods containing cochineal red is rare,and repeated atrial arrhythmia due to cochineal red poisoning is even rarer.CASE SUMMARY An 88-year-old Asian female patient was admitted to hospital due to a disturbance of consciousness.Twelve hours prior to presentation,the patient consumed 12 eggs containing cochineal red over a period of 2 h.At presentation,the patient was in a coma and had a score of 6 on the Glasgow Coma Scale(E2+VT+M4).The patient’s skin and mucous membranes were pink.Electrocardiography(ECG)revealed rapid atrial fibrillation without any signs of ischemia.We prescribed cedilan and fluid replacement for arrhythmia correction.Shortly after admission,the atrial fibrillation corrected to a normal sinus rhythm.On the day 2 of admission,the patient had a sudden atrial flutter accompanied by hemodynamic instability and rapidly declining arterial oxygen saturation between 85%and 90%.The sinus rhythm returned to normal after two electrical cardioversions.Six days after admission,the skin color of the patient returned to normal,and the ECG results were normal.The patient was transferred out of the intensive care unit and eventually discharged after 12 d in hospital.At the 2-mo follow-up visit,the patient was in good health with no recurrence of arrhythmia.CONCLUSION Although cochineal red is a safe,natural food additive,excessive consumption or occupational exposure can induce cardiac arrhythmias.

关 键 词：Cochineal red POISONING Cardiac arrhythmias Atrial fibrillation Atrial flutter Case report 

分 类 号：R687.3[医药卫生—骨科学]