Cardiotoxicity of acute organophosphate poisoning

To study the cardiotoxicity of acute organophosphate [OP], poisoning, this study was designed to evaluate 46patients who presented to the Benha poisoning control unit over a 14 months period from the 1st of March, 2007 to 30 April 2008, with acute OP poisoning and discus their associated cardiac complication and electrocadiographical [ECG] abnormalities. The serum level of cholinesterase [AChE] was significantly lower than the normal value. At the same time serum creatinine kinase [CK-MB] and cardiac trophonin I [CTnI] levels were significantly elevated at the time of admition indicating the presence some degree of cardiac injury. ECG changes confirmed the presence of cardiac injury. These was sinus tachycardia [34.78%] which the most common ECG abnormality, sinus bradycardia occurred in 9 patients [19.56%], hypertension developed in 6 patients [14.04%] and hypotension in 6 patients [13.04%]. OP induced impaired cardiac conductivity inform of prolongation of the QTc interval [32.61%] and prolonged PR interval [8.70%] and increased cardiac excitability in the form of extracystole [6.52%], ventricular tachycardia [2.17%] and atrial fibrillation [4.35%] and also induced myocardial cell injury manifested by elevated ST segment [15.22%]. Cardiac trophonin I [CTnI] level is indicated for diagnosis of cardiac injury due to OP poising when the patient is seen 3 days after intoxication. Most of cardiac complications associated with organophosphate occur during the first few hours after exposure. Sympathetic, parasymathatic over activity hypoxemia, acidosis and electrolyte derangements and a direct toxic effect of the OP on the myocardium are major predisposing factors for the development of these complications. The cardiac complications and ECG abnormalities all returned to normal before the patients were discharged. Initial complete ECG is recommended and should be obtained immediately in the Poison Control Unit in patients with acute OP or poisoning

Radiotoxicity of gamma rays and radioprotection of antioxidant vitamins against sperm head malformation in irradiated mice

In this study, 140 Swiss albino mice [Mus muscularis] aged 7 weeks and weight 15-20 gm. were used. The animals were sorted into groups, one of them was irradiated with two concentration of gamma rays 300 and 900 rad, other groups were treated with aqueous vitamin C solution; vitamin E solution dissolved in olive oil and both of them together [C and E] at two concentrations, 100 and 500 mg/kg/day for one month, then radiated in two doses 300 and 900 rad. Sperm head abnormalities in non irradiated; irradiated and pretreated with vitamins groups then irradiated were recorded. The irradiation with 300 and 900 rad caused an increase in the sperm head abnormalities compared to the control. On the other hand, animals pretreated with vitamins each alone and combination of the two together showed a decrease in the percentage of abnormalities caused by irradiation. So, vitamin C and vitamin E [antioxidant] were considered as radioprotection