Serotonin syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and hepatitis after a single ingestion of MDMA in an Asian woman.
N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA), also called Ecstasy, is a commonly abused psychoactive drug among the American youth. We present the case of a 23-year-old Korean-American woman who presented with seizure, delirium, and rigidity after MDMA ingestion. She was febrile (38.7°C), tachycardic (188 beatsmin), tachypneic (26 breathsmin) with a borderline blood pressure (9543 mm Hg). Examination revealed generalized muscle rigidity, tremors, hyperreflexia, and ocular clonus, leading to the diagnosis of serotonin syndrome. Urine toxicology screen was only positive for amphetamines, consistent with the history of MDMA ingestion. Initial laboratory testing showed thrombocytopenia, further testing showed deranged prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, decreased fibrinogen, and elevated D-dimer, suggesting disseminated intravascular coagulation. Hepatic transaminases trended up dramatically reflecting acute hepatitis. The patient received supportive care and improved by hospital day 3. MDMA toxicity manifested as serotonin syndrome, hepatitis, and coagulopathy is exceedingly rare. MDMA is metabolized by the hepatic CYP2D6 enzyme. Certain populations, such as Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese have a high prevalence of a polymorphism that confers reduced enzyme activity. We discuss this hypothesis as a possible cause for this severe presentation in our patient after a single ingestion.