Acetaminophen: report of an unusual poisoning.

This is a report of an unusual acetaminophen poisoning in a 3-year-old girl who, three days after the ingestion of an estimated thirty-five 325-mg tablets of acetaminophen, had the highest levels of hepatic enzymes ever recorded at Duke Hospital. Although she was only moderately ill with an enlarged liver, she was discharged from the hospital on the seventh day in good condition. The liver enzyme levels returned to normal when last assessed, 50 days after ingestion. The importance of determining acetaminophen plasma concentration at different times to evaluate more precisely the plasma half-life is discussed, along with the current suggested therapy now being recommended for acetaminophen poisoning.