title: Severe poisoning after accidental pediatric ingestion of glycol ethers.
abstract: Human glycol ether poisonings are sparsely reported in the medical literature. We describe a healthy 22-month-old boy who accidentally drank up to 330 mL of brake fluid containing a 75% bleed of various glycol ethers (5%-50% polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether, 15%-40% triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, 1%-30% triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, 1%-25% triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, 1%-20% polyethylene glycol, monobutyl ether, 1%-20% triethylene glycol, and <10% of other glycol ethers). Within 4 hours, he became somnolent and developed a persistent metabolic acidosis. Thirty minutes later, he received 1 dose of fomepizole. Neither progression nor improvement in clinical or metabolic status was noted after the fomepizole. He received hemodialysis for 3 hours ∼8 hours after ingestion, and his symptoms resolved resulting in an uneventfully recovery.
authors.affiliation: Denver Health and Hospitals, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, 777 Bannock St #0180, Denver, CO 80204, USA. george.wang@childrenscolorado.org
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.forename: Kennon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heard
mesh_terms: D004987:Ethers / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000506:poisoning*
chemical_list: D004987:Ethers; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols