A Case of Chemical Pneumonitis with Gastrointestinal Disturbance Caused by Nitric Acid Inhalation.
- Author:
Ji Han LEE
1
;
Jeong In HWANG
;
Kyu Hong HAN
;
Jin Hong MIN
;
Jung Soo PARK
;
Hoon KIM
;
Suk Woo LEE
;
Jin Young AN
;
Jun Ho KANG
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea. drrhec@chungbuk.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Pneumonitis;
Nitric Acid;
Diarrhea
- MeSH:
Anoxia;
Anti-Bacterial Agents;
Cough;
Diarrhea;
Dyspnea;
Electroplating;
Emergencies;
Follow-Up Studies;
Glass;
Humans;
Inhalation;
Intensive Care Units;
Korea;
Lung;
Nitric Acid;
Oxygen;
Pneumonia;
Respiration, Artificial;
Tachypnea;
Thorax
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2013;24(2):254-257
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Nitric acid is a typical strong acid that is colorless, corrosive, and flammable. It is often used for industrial purposes, such as refining, metal cleaning, and electroplating. In Korea, some cases of chemical pneumonitis from nitric acid poisoning have been reported, but to our knowledge, there have been no reports of diarrhea caused by nitric acid poisoning. A 42-year-old man visited a nearby hospital because of continuous diarrhea, coughing, and dyspnea after inhaling nitric acid fumes at his workplace the previous day. He was transferred to our hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit. He showed tachypnea and hypoxemia in our emergency department. Initial chest radiographs showed diffuse interstitial infiltrates and ground glass opacity in both lungs. The patient showed improvements in clinical symptoms and on chest radiographs after receiving oxygen and mechanical ventilation, antibiotics, and systemic glucocorticoid therapy. After 20 days he was discharged and showed no symptoms and sequelae on his 1-year follow-up.
