Povidone Iodine Disinfection Associated with Hypothyroidism and Potentially Contributing to Prolonged Kidney Failure

Objectives. To report a case of povidone-iodine (PVP-I, Iso-Betadine®) disinfection of lower leg fasciotomy wounds resulting in iodide absorption and possibly contributing to hypothyroidism and prolonged kidney injury. Design. Case report. Setting. Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), university hospital. Patients. A 13-year-old patient presenting with prolonged oligoanuric kidney failure and unexplained primary hypothyroidism three weeks after severe abdominal sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction and major rhabdomyolysis due to bilateral lower leg compartment syndrome, necessitating moderate size fasciotomies, disinfected daily with PVP-I. Interventions. Interruption of PVP-I exposure and initiation of thyroid hormone substitution. Measurements and Main Results. Hypothyroidism was revealed during diagnostic work-up for persistent hypertriglyceridemia. Thyroxine (T4) (4.0 mg/L) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) (64 ng/L) were moderately low, yet thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (16.8 mIU/L) was fourfold the maximal normal range value. This pattern, atypical for prolonged critical illness-related hypothyroidism, prompted interruption of PVP-I exposure and initiation of thyroid hormone substitution. Urinary production and creatinine clearance recovered during the following days, and one week later, intermittent renal replacement therapy could be terminated, suggesting that PVP-I toxicity and/or hypothyroidism may have contributed to the persistent renal failure three weeks after resolved septic shock and rhabdomyolysis. Elevated serum and urinary anion gap normalized simultaneously, but this evolution of rather nonspecific indices could be multifactorial. Conclusion. PVP-I is a commonly used broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent for prevention and treatment of wound infections. Toxic complications due to PVP-I absorption, after disinfection of extended thermal injuries larger than 20% of the body surface, have been described. In critically ill children, however, toxic effects of PVP-I may occur due to repeated disinfection of less extended wounds. Proposed screening strategies include: monitoring of the volumes of PVP-I applied daily; of the thyroid function, the serum, and/or urinary anion gap and the urinary iodide concentrations. These strategies, however, remain to be validated. This case report should be a wake-up call for daily integration of wound management in the clinical evaluation of critically ill patients.