Evaluation of Clinical and Biochemical Variables in Acute Methanol Poisoning: Is blood pH a Good Prognostic Factor for Prediction of Outcome?

Background: Acute methanol poisoning is one of the most important chemical poisoning due to drinking of illegal and handmade alcoholic beverages in Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical and biochemical parameters as prognostic factor in acute methanol poisoning. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on acute methanol poisoning cases admitted to the Loghman Hakim Hospital Poison Center (Tehran, Iran) over a two-year period. The demographic data, clinical presentations, paraclinical findings and patients’ outcome were extracted from medical records. Results: During this period, thirty patients with acute methanol poisoning have been enrolled in the study. All of the patients were men, with the median age of ۲۵.۵ years. Visual disturbances, respiratory manifestations, and loss of consciousness were the most common clinical manifestations on admission. The median of blood methanol level was ۲۰ mg/dL. The median of pH, PaCO۲ and HCO۳ was ۷.۱۵, ۲۲.۳۵ mmHg and ۷.۲ mEq/L, respectively. Fatality rate was ۳۰%. There was a significant difference between survivors and non-survivors with regards to coma, blood methanol level, and PaCO۲ and blood glucose. Also, we did not observe a significant difference between these two groups regarding pH and HCO۳ level. Conclusion: It can be suggested that coma, PaCO۲ and hyperglycemia on admission time could be used as strong predictors of poor outcome and blood pH and HCO۳ is not a good prognostic factor for assessment of methanol poisoning outcome.

کلیدواژه ها:

Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ، Methanol ، Poisoning ، Prognosis