title: Ethylene glycol poisoning.
abstract: Ethylene glycol (EG) can be found in many agents, such as antifreeze. Ingestion of EG may cause serious poisoning. Adults are typically exposed when EG is ingested as a cheap substitute for ethanol or in suicide-attempts. Children may be exposed by accidental ingestion caused by decantation of EG to unlabeled bottles. EG has in itself a low toxicity, but is in vivo broken down to four organic acids: glycoaldehyde, glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid and oxalic acid. The metabolites are cell toxins that cause central nervous system depression, and cardio-pulmonary and renal failure. Glycolic acid causes severe acidosis, and oxalate is precipitated as calcium oxalate in the kidneys and other tissues. We present five case reports of fatal EG-poisoning, and review the literature concerning clinical presentation and diagnosis, pathological findings, treatment and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Faculty of Health Sciences, Winsløvparken 17, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark. pleth@health.sdu.dk
authors.forename: Peter Mygind
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Leth
authors.forename: Markil
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gregersen
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002129:Calcium Oxalate / Q000032:analysis; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000506:poisoning*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D002129:Calcium Oxalate; D019855:Ethylene Glycol