Massive Levothyroxine Ingestion

Abstract

The clinical course of a 29-month-old girl who was referred for evaluation after ingesting ninety 0.2-mg tablets of levothyroxine is reported. Despite an initial thyroxine (T4) level of 282 μg/dl and a triiodothyronine (T3) level of 1,837 ng/dl at 48 hours postingestion, her symptoms were mild and included irritability, vomiting, tremor, and tachycardia. Treatment was limited to activated charcoal and propranolol. Thyroid hormone levels fell to normal by 13 days postingestion. The child's clinical course was benign. Even after massive acute ingestions of levothyroxine, children's symptoms are usually mild and may be controlled with propranolol. This conservative approach should be considered before expensive and potentially dangerous therapies are undertaken.