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An unusual cause of cyanosis in a patient with COPD
You-Jin Chang1, Haider Ali, Adrian Draper
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, St George's Hospital, London, UK. yjchang@doctors.org.uk
Abstract:
We present a case of acquired methaemoglobinaemia related to the prolonged use of dapsone in a patient with chronic hypoxia. The patient was initially successfully treated for infective exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, he remained persistently hypoxic on pulse oximetry despite a normal PaO2 on arterial blood gas sampling. His fraction of methaemoglobin (FMetHb) was found to be elevated at 13%. After cessation of dapsone, his clinical cyanosis recuperated, his exercise tolerance and functional capacity improved and his FMetHb normalised to 1%.
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