We report a 67-year-old man presenting with abdominal pain of acute onset, 
pallor, jaundice and behavioral changes after ingestion of fava beans. In the 
initial evaluation he appeared acutely ill and had resting dyspnea, edema and 
jaundice. His initial laboratory assessment disclosed azotemia, elevated lactate 
dehydrogenase levels, a low hemoglobin concentration (4.9 /dL) and a high 
corrected reticulocyte count (4,7%) with negative direct and indirect Coombs' 
test. The patient was transferred to the ICU, where he received support therapy 
with hemodialysis, mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs and transfusions of 
packed red cells. The evolution after 1 month was favorable and he was 
discharged without anemia and with normal renal function. Three months after 
discharge, the glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase screening study did not 
demonstrate detectable enzymatic activity.