[Phallin syndrome. Reports on 28 cases]

28 cases of phallinic syndrome have been studied: 24 out of them were from amanita phalloides poisoning and 4 from amanita verna poisoning. After a lag phase lasting from 7 to 30 hours, symptomatology characterized by starting gastroenteric troubles as vomit, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, meteorism and pain following abdomen palpation. In one case the syndrome started with parasympathicomimetic crisis, probabily due to ingested amanita containing muscarinic type poison. Subsequent evolution of clinical picture included signs of hepatic and renal involvement. As far as laboratory diagnosis is concerned, high levels of serum aminotransferases were found and, less frequently, hyperbilirubinmia and high BUN levels occurred. In severe cases, in addition, lowered values for plasma prothrombine, fibrinogen and cholinesterase were found. Low therapeutic effect followed rehydration, equilibration of electrolytic unbalance and administration of thioctic acid, coagulants and so on. As a matter of fact 3 out or 28 patients, treated only with such therapy, died. On the contrary good therapeutic effect followed to peritoneal dialysis, in two cases coupled to exchange transfusion: 10 patients were treated in such a way and no one died but all of them quickly recovered. Forced diuresis also appeared greatly useful and practical in therapeutic treatment of phallinic syndrome: results compared favourably with those obtained by means of peritoneal dialysis. As a matter of fact 15 patients, 5 of them having ingested a great amount of amanita phalloides, were treated with forced diuresis and no one of them died. Finally, the need is stressed for a very quick therapeutic intervention (exchange transfusion; plasmapheresis; peritoneal dialysis; forced diuresis, and so on) in order to lower the plasma concentration of the toxins responsible for the phallinic syndrome. Only in such a way diffusion of toxins from blood to tissues is avoided.