Methanol poisoning: clinical manifestations, investigations, formic acid level, management, and outcome

ABSTRACT

The present work was carried out to study patients with acute methanol poisoning as regards severity of clinical manifestations, laboratory investigations, formic acid level and management and to correlate these with the outcome. The study included twenty patients diagnosed as acute methanol poisoning following consumption of wine. They were admitted to Alexandria Poison Center [APC] and critical care medicine department at Alexandria Main University Hospital during four months period [February-May] in the year 2001. Patients were interviewed and clinically examined. Blood samples were collected immediately after admission for estimation of serum formate, blood gases and acid-base status. Also, brain computed tomography scanning [CT] was done. The results revealed that acute methanol poisoning is more common in young age group from 15-35 years [70.0%]. The longer the latent period i.e. the time lapsed since intake of methyl alcohol and appearance of symptoms, the lowest were the pH and bicarbonate levels, the highest was serum formate level and the worst was the CT and outcome: