Refractory status epilepticus, serious rhabdomyolysis, acute liver injury, and pancytopenia after a massive intake of ethyl methanesulfonate: a case report.

Ethyl methanesulfonate is a mutagenic, alkylating agent and considered harmful to humans at levels greater than a certain threshold; however, the toxicity at high doses remains unclear. We report a case of a Japanese man who presented with status epilepticus, rhabdomyolysis, pancytopenia, and hair loss after accidental ingestion of a massive amount of ethyl methanesulfonate. The patient completely recovered with critical care, including multiple antiepileptic drugs, renal replacement therapy, blood transfusion, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy, and antibacterial/fungal prophylaxis. The case indicates that ethyl methanesulfonate causes neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, hematotoxicity, and renal toxicity, which can be successfully treated with appropriate palliative therapies.