Dataset Information

Methanol poisoning and long term sequelae - a six years follow-up after a large methanol outbreak.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mass poisonings with methanol are rare but occur regularly both in developed and in developing countries. Data from the poisoning episodes are often published, but follow-up-data is scarce. We therefore conducted a six year follow-up study after the large methanol outbreak in Estonia in September 2001.

Methods

Surviving victims from the outbreak were contacted and invited to an interview and a clinical evaluation by an ophthalmologist and a physician. The patients that failed to respond were searched for in the Estonian Register of Population and through their General Practitioner.

Results

During the outbreak in 2001, 86/111 hospitalized patients survived: 66 without sequelae (Group I) and 20 with sequelae (Group II). Six years later, 26/86 were dead, 33/86 could not be tracked down, and so only 27/86 of these were followed up and examined: 22/66 of the patients in Group I, and 5/20 in Group II were found and examined. From Group I, 8/22 were identified with new neurological impairment and 8/22 with new visual disturbances after discharge. From Group II, visual disturbances (n = 4) and neurological impairment (n = 3) were still present in all patients. Among the 26 dead, 19 were from Group I, and seven were from Group II. Alcohol intoxication was the most frequent cause of death (7/26).

Conclusion

All sequelae were still present six years after the initial poisoning suggesting that these were irreversible damages. On follow-up, apparently new neurological and visual complications were identified in 36% and 36%, respectively. 35% of the patients initially discharged with sequelae and 29% discharged without were dead six years later; 27% of them from alcohol intoxication.

SUBMITTER: Paasma R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2667428 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Methanol poisoning and long term sequelae - a six years follow-up after a large methanol outbreak.

Paasma Raido R Hovda Knut Erik KE Jacobsen Dag D

BMC clinical pharmacology 20090327

<h4>Background</h4>Mass poisonings with methanol are rare but occur regularly both in developed and in developing countries. Data from the poisoning episodes are often published, but follow-up-data is scarce. We therefore conducted a six year follow-up study after the large methanol outbreak in Estonia in September 2001.<h4>Methods</h4>Surviving victims from the outbreak were contacted and invited to an interview and a clinical evaluation by an ophthalmologist and a physician. The patients that ...[more]

PMID: 19327138

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Dataset Information

Methanol poisoning and long term sequelae - a six years follow-up after a large methanol outbreak.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Methanol poisoning and long term sequelae - a six years follow-up after a large methanol outbreak.

Similar Datasets

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