Haemodynamic studies in eight cases of acute colchicine poisoning

1 The authors performed haemodynamic studies in 8 cases of colchicine poisoning. The doses absorbed ranged between 9 and 160 mg (mean dose 39 mg). THe haemodynamic study was performed between the 6th and 72nd h after intoxication, before and after plasma infusion (370 ml over a period of 20 minutes). 2 Four patients had severe shock with decreased cardiac index (CI) and increased sytsemic vascular resistance (SVR). Four patients had a hyperkinetic state with increased CI and decreased SVR. The four patients with cardiac failure died, the others recovered. 3 Haemodynamic study of acute colchicine poisoning is of therapeutic and prognostic interest. Hypovolaemia is always present. An initial decrease of cardiac performance is an index of severity with a lethal outcome.