title: Greenish-blue gastric content: Literature review and case report on acute copper sulphate poisoning.
abstract: A literature review of cases of acute poisoning by copper sulfate was conducted, emphasizing therapeutic interventions, and a new fatality case is reported. Specifically, the relevant literature was reviewed for incidence rates, sociodemographic variables, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic outcome of copper sulfate poisoning. Results conclude that copper sulfate poisoning incidence varies in different regions. It is rare in western countries, while it is very common in South Asian countries. The majority of patients belong to rural populations and are males in the third decade of their lives. The lethal dose of ingested copper is considered to be 10-20 g; 14-36% of the patients pass away within a few hours of ingestion, while the average hospitalization time is more than 20 days. The clinical features of copper sulfate poisoning include erosive gastropathy, intravascular hemolysis, methemoglobinemia, hepatitis, and acute kidney injury. The therapeutic management focuses on absorption reduction, close observation for complications, supportive therapy, and chelation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nastoulis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.|Adult Psychiatry, Psychiatric Department, G. Papanikolaou General Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Karakasi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Couvaris
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapetanakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D013270:Stomach; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D019327:Copper Sulfate
keywords: Acute; blue vitrio; bluestone; copper sulfate; cupric sulfate; depression; forensic pathology; forensic science; legal medicine; pesticide; poisoning; suicide