Ethylene glycol poisoning.
A 40-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department after a suicide attempt. The patient was found at home unconscious, with an open bottle of antifreeze near him. The patient was in a coma on admission, but neurological examination excluded intracranial changes. Results of initial urine and serum toxicological screening tests were negative. Laboratory values indicated metabolic acidosis, leukocytosis, urinalysis revealed hematuria and unrecognized crystals. Osmolality and osmol gap were not determined on patient admission. Treatment with ethanol as an antidote and hemodialysis were started because of metabolic acidosis, anamnestic data and clinical status of the patient, and subsequently led to improvement of his condition. Further toxicological analyses of glycolic and oxalic acids in serum and urine samples were performed by ion-chromatography (IC) method and showed high values in spot urine and serum ultrafiltrate at admission, but during therapy the values progressively decreased. Treatment of poisoned patient for 3 weeks resulted in complete recovery.
Lovrić
Mila
M
Clinical Institute of Laboratory Diagnosis, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Kispatićeva 12, Zagreb, Croatia. lovricm@kbc-zagreb.hr <lovricm@kbc-zagreb.hr>
Granić
Paula
P
Cubrilo-Turek
Mirjana
M
Lalić
Zdenka
Z
Sertić
Jadranka
J
D000138:Acidosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019855:Ethylene Glycol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000506:poisoning*; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006417:Hematuria / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000628:therapy; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
D000931:Antidotes; D000431:Ethanol; D019855:Ethylene Glycol