Acute polyneuropathy after malathion poisoning.
We report a patient in whom intoxication with a commercial preparation of malathion led to a severe acute cholinergic crisis, protracted cardiac arrhythmias, an acute respiratory distress syndrome, and an acute sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy. The occurrence of the polyneuropathy was associated with a novel malathion transformation product, S-(1-ethoxycarbonyl, 2-isopropoxycarbonyl) ethyl 0,0-dimethyl phosphorodithioate (isopropylmalathion), an impurity present in the pesticide residue. The role of isopropylmalathion in the pathophysiology of the polyneuropathy remains to be determined.
Monje Argiles
A
A
Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Lison
D
D
Lauwerys
R
R
Mahieu
P
P
Brucher
J M
JM
Van den Bergh
P
P
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000737:chemistry; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008294:Malathion / Q000506:poisoning*; D009123:Muscle Hypotonia / Q000139:chemically induced; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000737:chemistry; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D010573:Pesticide Residues; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D008294:Malathion