Transient organic aciduria and methemoglobinemia with acute gastroenteritis.

Acute gastroenteritis remains a common medical problem in the pediatric population and diarrhea may be life threatening in the neonate. Organic aciduria has been observed in children with short bowel, malabsorption, and Hirschsprung’s disease,’6 and methemoglobinemia has been observed in children with acute diarrheal disease.7’5 The two infants described here, however, represent the mitial report of concomitant transient organic aciduna and methemoglobinemia in patients with diarrhea. Awareness of the association of these findings will be valuable in directing the clinical evaluation of similar patients. Recognition that the organic aciduria may be transient in these patients will prevent the pediatrician from concluding that the child has a primary inborn error of metabolism and undertaking an inappropriate course of management.