Intermediate Myasthenia Syndrome Following Organophosphate Intoxication

BACKGROUND: Intermediate myasthenia syndrome(IMS) is thought to have clinical importance because it may cause sudden respiratory failure during the recovery phase of a cholinergic crisis of organophosphate poisoning. We designed this study to identify the prevalence, the inducing agent, clinical predictor, and the proposed treatment of IMS. METHODS: Patients who had admitted with the diagnosis of acute organophosphate poisoning from 1992 to 1998 at two teaching hospitals were enrolled in this study. We selected the cases of IMS based on a review of medical records using modified He's criteria. RESULTS: Twelve(12) out of 110 patients with acute organophosphate poisoning were diagnosed for a prevalence at 10.9%. The drug inducing IMS were identified as dichlorvos, fenthion, EPN, methidathion, and phosphamidon. The occurrence of IMS was not related to either the initial treatment with atropine and pralidoxime, or the level of serum cholinesterase. Complications were pneumonia, sepsis, pancreatitis, and pseudomembranous colitis, etc. Eleven(11) patients were discharged without sequelae, and one patient was discharged as a hopeless care. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that IMS is not rare, so close observation is required to detect IMS in organophosphate-poisoning patients. Also, more studies are required to find predictors and treatments.

A Clinical Study of Respiratory Intensive Care in Critically Ill Patients - 10th report / 대한마취과학회지

A clinical study was performed of the respiratory care of 1309 critically ill patients who had been admitted to respiratory intensive care units (RICU) in 1986 and 1987. 1) The number of patients who needed respiratory care was 691 and the mortality in RICU was 1.45% (10 case) in 1986, and 618 and 2.59% (16 cases) in 1987, respectively. 2) The average duration of ventilatory support was 2.1 days in 1986, and 1.9 days in 1987. The patients of thoracic surgery needed respiratory support for 2.6 days in 1986, and 2.3 days in 1987. 3) The mortalities according to department were:1.42% (6 of 424 cases) in thoracic surgery, 1.89% (2 of 107 cases) in general surgery, 20% (1 of 5 cases) in pediatry surgery, and 7.14% (1 of 14 cases) in gynecology in 1986. In 1987, 2.56% (8 of 312 cases) in thoracic surgery, 4.0% (6 of 150 cases) in neurosurgery, 0.96% (1 of 104 cases) in general surgery, and 7.69% (1 of 13 cases) in urology. 4) The most frequently used ventilator was Bear II, followed by Benett MA-I. 5) The major causes of death in RICU were low cardiac output syndrome, sepsis, respiratory failure, and brain damage.