Anaphylactic Shock with Multiorgan Failure in a Cyclist after Intravenous Administration of Actovegin

Background: Actovegin (Nycomed Pharma, Zurich, Switzerland) is a calf-blood extract free of proteins and filtrated to remove prions. It is marketed in some countries for the treatment of cerebrovascular and metabolic disorders, peripheral flow disorders, burns, and wounds (1–4) and is used by some athletes to improve blood oxygenation without raising hematocrit, purportedly by promoting glucose and oxygen uptake by cells (5, 6). Actovegin has been banned by the International Olympics Committee since 2000.

Objective: To report a case of anaphylaxis with use of Actovegin.

Case Report: A 22-year-old man who was an amateur cyclist with no significant medical history self-injected intravenous Actovegin, 5 mL, over 5 minutes the night before a competition. He had administered the drug 1 year earlier with no consequences. Ten minutes later, the patient developed fever with rigors, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Three hours later, after …