Thiocyanate toxicity: a teaching case

Abstract

Introduction: Thiocyanate can cause gastrointestinal, neurologic, and cardiovascular toxicity. Additionally, it interferes with multiple laboratory assays. We present a case of acute thiocyanate toxicity. Case: A 17-year-old female presented with an intentional thiocyanate ingestion. Her course was notable for delirium, wide complex tachycardia, and presumed seizure activity with concurrent lactatemia, acidemia, and narrowing of her arterio-venous oxygen gradient. She received lipid emulsion therapy (LET). While hemodialysis was considered, she recovered without additional treatment. After resolution of her critical illness, a serum cyanide concentration was 0.21 mcg/mL. She had laboratory testing notable for hyperchloremia, hypocalcemia, hypokalemia, and an elevated salicylate concentration attributed to interference by thiocyanate. The thiocyanate was eliminated via first-order kinetics with a half-life of 61.6 hours. Discussion: Thiocyanate poisoning may cause cardiac and neurologic toxicity. Laboratory evidence of impaired cellular respiration in this case suggests possible in vivo conversion to cyanide, however this is not proven. Cyanide antidotal treatment was not administered for this patient, however LET was given based on thiocyanate’s lipophilicity. Hemodialysis is known to effectively remove thiocyanate from the blood, however the patient improved without it. The patient’s laboratory derangements were due to thiocyanate interference with ion selective electrode and colorimetric analyzer technology. Conclusions: Thiocyanate can cause cardiac and neurologic toxicity, and interferes with several laboratory assays. Theoretically, LET and cyanide antidotal treatment may be useful, but this requires further investigation. Thiocyanate toxicity should be managed supportively, and hemodialysis may be used in severe cases.

Keywords:

• (MeSH): Cyanates
• drug overdose
• medical laboratory science
• pharmacokinetics

Disclosure statement

CJW, DLO, GAM, MK, AP, JBM report no conflicts of interest. MMB reports that she is the Pediatric Toxicology Section Editor at UpToDate.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.