title: Ruling in the diagnosis of methanol intoxication in a young heavy drinker: a case report.
abstract: Methanol poisoning is a relatively rare but potentially serious medical emergency. Toxicity results when methanol is successively oxidized to the active metabolites formaldehyde and formic acid. We report a case of a 23-year-old male, a high daily alcohol consumer, who attended the local primary health care centre complaining of sudden visual loss. A presumed diagnosis of methanol intoxication was suggested based on the patient's visual impairment and the history of alcohol ingestion. Specific therapy was initiated before a definitive diagnosis. Gas chromatographic determination of methanol levels confirmed the initial diagnostic suspicion. In this case, prompt recognition of methanol intoxication and treatment conditioned a favorable clinical outcome. Given that timely diagnosis and antidote administration are crucial issues in terms of prognosis, we underline the necessity for physicians to be alert for entities provoked by rare environmental factors.
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Centre of Kissamos, Chania, Crete, Greece. danyfantakis@med.uoc.gr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anyfantakis
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Symvoulakis
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Cristodoulakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frantzeskakis
mesh_terms: D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000432:Methanol