Ingestion of Toxic Iron Dose With Benign Outcome

Iron poisoning is a significant and potentially life-threatening condition that is commonly encountered in the emergency department. The severity of toxicity is based on the amount of iron ingested, and symptoms can range from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to multi-organ failure. Although current guidelines recommend therapy for patients with estimated ingestion of >60 mg/kg, the most useful laboratory test to determine toxicity is the serum iron level measured at four to six hours after ingestion. In this report, we present a case of a 28-year-old female who ingested a toxic dose of iron (88 mg/kg) but was only minimally symptomatic and managed with supportive care alone. The case highlights the importance of a high index of suspicion, careful clinical evaluation in patients with iron toxicity, and the need for individualized treatment decisions based on the patient's clinical presentation and laboratory values.