Dinitrophenol (DNP) Fatality Associated with a Falsely Elevated Salicylate Level: a Case Report with Verification of Laboratory Cross Reactivity

Introduction 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) is a known uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation that clinically leads to hyperthermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, and metabolic acidosis. Intentional overdoses of DNP are often fatal. We present an analytically confirmed fatal case of DNP overdose with a falsely positive elevated salicylate concentration. We further explored this cross reactivity of DNP with two salicylate assays.