Lack of clinical symptoms in an acute arsenic poisoning: an unusual case.
A 32-y-old woman was admitted to Granada University Hospital for attempted suicide by ingestion of an ant-killer containing 10% sodium arsenate and 5% pyrethrins. Neither gastrointestinal distress nor hepatic, renal, or neurologic disturbances were clinically observed. However, the presence of toxic levels of arsenic (14 mg/L) was confirmed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in a sample of urine taken about 12 h after poisoning. An uneventful clinical course was observed, and the patient was discharged after 6 days upon her request. Long-term follow-up was unavailable. From a Medline search over the years 1985-1998 only one similar report also dealing with sodium arsenate was found. Different pathogenic hypotheses are discussed in the light of the clinical data.
Hernandez
A F
AF
Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology Service, University Hospital, University of Granada School of Medicine, Spain.
Schiaffino
S
S
Ballesteros
J L
JL
Gil
F
F
Pla
A
A
Villanueva
E
E
D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000652:urine; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011041:Poisoning / Q000473:pathology* / Q000652:urine; D011042:Poisons / Q000652:urine; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016482:Urinalysis
D011042:Poisons; D001151:Arsenic