Long term effects of tetramine poisoning: an observational study.
BACKGROUND
Tetramine is an illegal rat poison that has resulted in a number of accidental mass poisonings in China.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the long term outcome of tetramine poisoning.


METHODS
A survey of epileptic attacks in 370 patients in the Hubei province of P. R. China who had survived tetramine poisoning in the last decade was undertaken by means of telephone calls, letters, and interviews. Data describing the initial acute episode was gathered from medical and public health records.


RESULTS
Among the 370 patients surveyed (188 males, 182 females, age range 10 to 71 y), 352 experienced seizures during the initial poisoning. One hundred fifty-eight individuals are currently seizure-free, after an average medication period of 2.93 years. The other patients have recurrent epilepsy, including 156 with tonic-clonic seizures and 39 with partial seizures. Six patients have other neurological problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Tetramine, a rat poison sometimes ingested by mistake, blocks GABA receptors and causes seizures. These seizures can persist for years after the initial poisoning, even when no seizures are present initially. Sodium valproate, which has the ability to increase the amount of GABA in the CNS, would be a reasonable choice for the treatment of epilepsy caused by tetramine poisoning.
Neurology Department of Union Hospital, affiliated with Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China. dengxuejun@126.com
Xuejun
X
Deng
Gang
G
Li
Ruanwu
R
Mei
Shenggang
S
Sun
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds / Q000506:poisoning*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005751:Gastric Lavage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D051381:Rats; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001952:Bridged-Ring Compounds; D012378:Rodenticides; D002606:Charcoal; D014635:Valproic Acid; C010349:tetramethylenedisulfotetramine