Abstract
Acquired methemoglobinaemia is a relatively rare condition and, therefore infrequently encountered in acute medical practice. Suspicion of the condition may be triggered when the measured PaO2 is ‘out of keeping’ with the oxygen saturations that are discovered with pulse oximetry. We describe two separate cases of acquired methemoglobinaemia secondary to the recreational use of alkyl nitrites (’poppers’). The patients presented at separate times to two different teaching hospitals in London, UK. The similarity of these cases has led the authors to conclude that a raised awareness of this potentially fatal condition, and its association with a widely-available recreational drug, is necessary to ensure a correct and timely diagnosis.
Publication details
- DOI
- 10.18295/2075-0528.1371
- Journal
- Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 12(2), 237-241
- Publisher
- Sultan Qaboos University
- Open access
- Gold open access
- License
- CC BY-ND 4.0
Cite this article
APA 7
Al Lawati, A., & Murch, N. (2025). Acquired Methemoglobinaemia. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 12(2), 237-241. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1371
MLA 9
Al Lawati, Adil, and Nick Murch. "Acquired Methemoglobinaemia." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, 2025, pp. 237-241. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1371.
Chicago (author–date)
Al Lawati, Adil, and Nick Murch. 2025. "Acquired Methemoglobinaemia." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 12 (2): 237-241. https://doi.org/10.18295/2075-0528.1371.
Harvard
Al Lawati, A. and Murch, N. (2025) 'Acquired Methemoglobinaemia', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 12(2), pp. 237-241. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1371.
Vancouver
Al Lawati A, Murch N. Acquired Methemoglobinaemia. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;12(2):237-241. doi:10.18295/2075-0528.1371
IEEE
A. Al Lawati, and N. Murch, "Acquired Methemoglobinaemia," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 237-241, 2025, doi: 10.18295/2075-0528.1371.