ABSTRACT
A 61-year-old man was transferred to our hospital with the complaints of dizziness, severe nausea and abdominal discomfort after consuming approximately 50 g of the flowers of Rhododendron japonicum. On admission, hypotension and sinus bradycardia were evident. Symptoms including hypotension and bradycardia completely recovered within 12 hours following normal saline infusion and intravenous atropine. The ingestion of certain types of Rhododendron species can cause intoxication, referred to as "mad honey poisoning", due to the action of grayanotoxins. This is the first local case of acute intoxication caused by Rhododendron japonicum.
Subject(s)
Bradycardia/chemically induced , Hypotension/chemically induced , Rhododendron/poisoning , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
An 88-year-old woman presented with fever and acute posterior neck pain. A CT scan revealed calcification of the transverse ligament and crown-like calcification around the odontoid process. According to the clinical and radiological findings, she was diagnosed with crowned dens syndrome (CDS). Her symptoms drastically improved following treatment with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication. An X-ray of her wrist, elbow, shoulder and knee joints showed asymptomatic calcium deposits, suggesting underlying crystalline deposition disease. CDS may occur as the initial presentation of crystalline deposition disease. The measurement of procalcitonin and an X-ray survey of the major joints may be helpful for the diagnosis of CDS.
