title: Paraquat poisoning: an analytical toxicologic study of three cases.
abstract: Paraquat concentrations were measured in tissue, serum, urine and hemodialysate obtained from 3 patients who died 16.5 h, 22 days and 23 days after ingestion. In the patient who died 16.5 h post-ingestion, tissue paraquat levels were high. Kidney and liver had paraquat concentrations of 14 micrograms/g and 13.2 micrograms/g respectively, whereas lung tissue had a paraquat level of 3.8 micrograms/g. Low concentrations of paraquat were detectable in the tissues of the patients who died 22 and 23 days post-ingestion. Early in the poisoning, serum paraquat levels were high and large quantities of paraquat could be removed by both hemodialysis and forced diuresis. During an 8-h period, 713 mg of paraquat were removed by hemodialysis and 340 mg by forced diuresis. After the day of ingestion, little paraquat could be removed by hemodialysis or by forced diuresis; however, at all stages of the poisoning studied, hemodialysis was more effective than forced diuresis in removing paraquat from the blood.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010269:Paraquat / Q000032:analysis / Q000506:poisoning*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D010269:Paraquat