CASE REPORT article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Predictive Toxicology
Rhabdomyolysis Secondary to Chlorpheniramine Maleate Toxicity:a case report
Provisionally accepted
- 绵阳市中心医院, 四川省绵阳市, China
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Abstract: Background:Chlorpheniramine maleate is a commonly used antiallergic drug; excessive ingestion can cause adverse effects such as hallucinations, tachycardia, central nervous system depression, and organ dysfunction. However, rhabdomyolysis induced by this drug is rarely reported. This study presents a case of rhabdomyolysis secondary to chlorpheniramine maleate poisoning.Case Report: A 14-year-old female student developed palpitations after oral ingestion of 100 tablets of chlorpheniramine maleate (4 mg per tablet). Six hours post-ingestion, laboratory tests showed elevated concentrations of myoglobin (>1200ng/mL) and creatine kinase (1529.7U/L). Nine hours post-ingestion, the myoglobin concentration gradually decreased to 889 ng/mL, while the creatine kinase concentration continued to rise to 7315U/L. One day after ingestion, the myoglobin concentration further decreased, whereas the creatine kinase concentration peaked at 11219U/L.Indicators including troponin, creatine kinase-MB mass, serum creatinine, and serum uric acid remained within the normal range. Following treatment with gastrointestinal decontamination, diuresis, and maintenance of electrolyte balance, the patient's condition improved and she was discharged.Discussion: Chlorpheniramine maleate poisoning can cause hallucinations, hypertension, tachycardia, organ dysfunction, and central nervous system depression. Additionally, it may be a potential etiological factor for rhabdomyolysis.
Keywords: Acute Kidney Injury, antihistamine, Chlorpheniramine maleate, Poisoning, Rhabdomyolysis
Received: 17 Dec 2025; Accepted: 09 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 卢 and Wu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Rong Wu
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