title: The effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on aluminum phosphide poisoning inducing cardiovascular toxicity: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is a very effective indoor and outdoor pesticide. We investigated the effects of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on the survival time, hemodynamics, and cardiac biochemical parameters at various time intervals in some cases of AlP poisoning.
  
  
  METHODS
  This research was a case-control study to evaluate 63 AlP poisoned patients during 2010-2012. Patients with cardiovascular complications of AlP to be treated with intravenous NAC plus conventional treatment were considered as the case group and compared with patients who did not receive NAC. NAC infusion was administered to the case group at 300 mg/kg for 20 h. The data gathered included age, sex, heart rate, Systolic blood pressure (SBP), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), and ECG at the admission time and 12, 18, and 24 h after admission. Analysis of repeated measures was performed to check the variability of parameters over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ages in the case and control groups were 26.65 ± 1.06 (19-37 years) and 28.39 ± 1.11 (18-37 years), respectively (P = 0.266). Most of the patients were female (56.5%). CK-MB means were significantly different between the two groups, but no differences between the other variables were observed. Also, CK-MB, CPK, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure means became significantly different over time (0, 12, 18, and 24 h) in both groups (P < 0.001). NAC prevented sharp heart rate fluctuations in AlP patients in the case group. Regarding the outcomes, 17 patients died (10 patients in the control and 7 patients in the case groups). No side-effects of NAC were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our patients could be managed by the positive role of NAC as the biochemical index of cardiotoxicity was found to elevate in both the case and control groups. Therefore, for the management protocol optimization, NAC evaluation should be done in further cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fakhreddin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taghaddosinejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
authors.forename: Esmaeil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Farzaneh
authors.affiliation: Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Bahar Cross, Taleghani Avenue, Tehran, 1114795113 Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghazanfari-Nasrabad
authors.affiliation: Isfahan Clinical Toxicology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nastaran
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eizadi-Mood
authors.affiliation: Birjand CardioVascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Avenue, Birjand, 9713643138 Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajihosseini
authors.affiliation: Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Moallem Avenue, Birjand, 9713643138 Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mehrpour
keywords: Aluminum phosphide; N-acetyl cysteine; Pesticide; Rice tablet