Clinical experience of acute ferric chloride poisoning.
Ferric chloride is both a corrosive acid and iron compound; reports of poisoning in humans are rare. A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate patients with ferric chloride exposure reported to Poison Control Center-Taipei Veterans General Hospital during 1990-2001. After exclusion of incomplete records, 16 patients with ferric chloride exposure were analyzed (9 male, 7 female aged 12 to 70 y). The exposures were occupational inhalation (18.7%), suicidal ingestion (56.3%), and accidental ingestion (25.0%). Major symptoms and signs were nausea/vomiting (68.8%), sore throat (68.8%), abdominal pain (37.5%), oral ulcers (37.5%), metabolic acidosis (25.0%), aspiration pneumonia (18.8%), respiratory failure (12.5%), diarrhea (12.5%), and hypotension (12.5%). The severity of poisonings were fatal 6.3%, severe 18.8%, moderate 31.2%, mild 37.5%, and asymptomatic 6.3%. Deferoxamine therapy was given in 9 hospitalized patients with good recovery; however the fatal case did not receive deferoxamine due to rapid deterioration and a late diagnosis. The serum iron level known in 7 cases ranged from 40 to 2440 microg/dL. Ingestion of ferric chloride may result in serious morbidity and mortality. Inappropriate labeling and storage lead to accidental swallowing or misdiagnosis. Early diagnosis is important, especially in seriously poisoned patients.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002712:Chlorides; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D002712:Chlorides; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C024555:ferric chloride