A Case of Methanol Poisoning Treated with Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: The Serial Measurements of Serum Methanol Concentrations in Methanol Poisoning

ABSTRACT

Methanol poisoning is a medical emergency that requires rapid elimination of the toxin and its metabolites for recovery. The danger of methanol results from the accumulation of its toxic metabolite formic acid. This accumulation may result in the development of metabolic acidosis, visual impairment, and damage to the basal ganglia. Extracorporeal treatment is recommended in severe cases of methanol poisoning with coma, seizure, new vision deficits, metabolic acidosis, high serum anion gap, elevated methanol concentrations or impaired kidney function. Although the serum methanol concentration is helpful in determining the use of extracorporeal treatment, methanol assays are not standard laboratory tests in Korea. Herein, we report a case of methanol poisoning in which the patient's clinical improvement was confirmed using serum and urine methanol levels.