- Cardiac Toxicity in Patients with Antidepressant Intoxication
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Jung-Taek Park, Se-Min Choi, Young-Min Oh, Joo-Suk Oh, Yeon-Young Kyoung, Hang-Joo Cho, Kyoung-Ho Choi
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2010;8(2):97-105. Published online December 31, 2010
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- Purpose: Although cardiac toxicity is a key parameter of significant toxicity, in antidepressant intoxication, there are few studies on the cardiac toxicity of serotonin reuptake inhibitor and the intoxication with the new generation of antidepressants. The aim of this study is to investigate the relative cardiac toxicity of serotonin reuptake inhibitor and intoxication with the new generation of antidepressants as compared with that of tricyclic antidepressant intoxication. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 109 antidepressant intoxicated patients who visited the Emergency Department from January, 2005 to December, 2009 to collect and analyze the demographic and clinical data. Sixteen patients were excluded. The enrolled seventy eight patients were classified into three groups: the tricyclic antidepressant group (TCA) (n=32), the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor subgroup (SSRI) (n=28) and the new generation antidepressant subgroup (NGA) (n=18). Results: The demographic and clinical data of the SSRI and NGA groups were not significantly different from that of the TCA group. The QRS duration of the SSRI subgroup ($86.4{pm}12.0$ msec) and the NGA subgroup ($91.8{pm}11.9$ msec) was not significantly different from that of the TCA group ($90.0{pm}13.5msec$) (p=0.598). The QTc interval of the SSRI group ($444.5{pm}33.5msec$) and the NGA group ($434.9{pm}35.9msec$) (p=0.260) were not significantly different from that of the TCA group ($431.2{pm}44.1msec$) (p=0.287). Conclusion: Intoxication with SSRI and the new generation antidepressants seemed to show significant cardiac toxicity, like what is seen in tricyclic antidepressant intoxication. Clinicians must pay attention to SSRI and new generation antidepressant intoxication.
- Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Neonicotinoid Insecticide Poisoning
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Jin-Chul Kim, Byung-Hak So, Han-Joon Kim, Hyung-Min Kim, Jung-Ho Park, Se-Min Choi, Kyu-Nam Park, Kyoung-Ho Choi
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2010;8(1):24-29. Published online June 30, 2010
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- Purpose: Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used as they have been proven by experimental studies to have low toxicity to mammals, including humans. As the use of neonicotioids increases, the number of patients with neonicotinoid poisoning has also increased. We conducted a study to investigate the clinical manifestations of neonicotinid poisoning. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the patients who ingested neonicotinids and who visited the emergency department located in Korea from March 2002 to February 2010. We reviewed the patients' age, gender, the amount of exposure, the elapsed time to presentation, the treatment and the outcome. According to the poisoning severity score, we divided the patients with a Poisoning severity score (PSS) of 0 or 1 into the mild/moderate toxicity group and the patients with a PSS of 2 or 3 into the severe/fatal toxicity group. Results: A total of 24 patients were analyzed. The most common clinical manifestations of neonicotinoid insecticide toxicity were gastrointestinal symptoms (66.7%) such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and the others are respiratory symptoms (16.7%), cardiovascular symptoms (12.5%), metabolic imbalance (12.5%), renal dysfunction (8.3%), CNS symptoms (8.3%), and asymptomatic (29.2%). Twenty patients (83.3%) showed mild/moderate toxicity and 4 patients (16.7%) showed fatal conditions such as shock and mutiorgan failure. The mortality rate was 4.2%. In these fatal cases, the patients developed respiratory failure, hypotension, altered mentality and renal failure at the acute stage and they deteriorated to a more serious condition. This severe toxicity was caused by decreased renal excretion of neonicotinid metabolite, and this was improved after hemodialysis. Conclusion: Most patients with neonicotinoid poisoning and who showed mild toxicity usually improved after symptomatic treatment. However, some patients showed significant toxicity with respiratory failure and renal function deterioration, and intensive care needed, including mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis.
- Evaluation of the Risk Factors for Aspiration Pneumonitis Following Drug Intoxication
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Dong-Hee Kim, Joo-Suk Oh, Yeon-Young Kyoung, Se-Min Choi, Young-Min Oh, Kyoung-Ho Choi, Kyu-Nam Park
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2009;7(2):127-136. Published online December 31, 2009
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- Purpose: It is known that aspiration pneumonitis is associated with high mortality and morbidity following overdose. However, until now, few domestic studies on this subject have been conducted. The main aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors associated with aspiration pneumonitis in intubated patients following overdose. Methods: Among 654 adult overdosed patients who visited our institution from Jan. 2006 to June 2008, we enrolled 70 intubated patients within 24 hours after their overdose, and we reviewed the medical records to collect the data. This data was processed by univariate analysis, followed by multiple logistic regression analysis. P values <0.05 were deemed statistically significant. Results: In our study, a high incidence of pneumonitis was seen in the patients with an older age, a lower GCS and a high poisoning severity score or a high comorbidity score (p<0.05). Compared with the non-pneumonitis group, the pneumonitis group had a higher incidence of intubation (6% vs 61.8%, respectively, p<0.05). The main cause of intubation was a decreased mentality (68.6%). Older age, a high comorbidity score, irrigation without airway protection, relative hypoxemia and hyperkalemia were the risk factors of aspiration pneumonitis in the intubated overdosed patients (p<0.05). Among these factors, age, a high potassium level and airway protection might be significant predictors of aspiration penumonitis (p<0.05). Conclusion: Older age, a high potassium level and irrigation without proper airway protection may be the significant factors that can predict aspiration pneumonitis in patients who are intubated within 24 hours after overdose, although the further investigations on this are needed.
- Clinical Significance of Delayed re-evaluation in Initial Symptoms Following Snakebite Injury
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Dae-Hee Kim, Se-Min Choe, Young-Min Oh, Joo-Suk Oh, Yeon-Young Kyong, Kyoung-Ho Choi
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2009;7(2):97-104. Published online December 31, 2009
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- Purpose: Antivenin is a standard therapy in snakebite victims. While the required antivenin dose can be easily estimated, based on the initial symptoms, this strategy may be unsuccessful if the initial symptoms progressively worsen. The purpose of this study was to identify the progression rate of the initial symptoms following snakebite and its associated factors. Methods: The medical records of 44 patients treated for snakebite from give the actual dates of the study period were retrospectively examined. Thirty-two of these patients were enrolled. Demographic data, local wound grade and local effect score at initial presentation (G-0 and LES-0, respectively) and 12 hours after admission (G-12 and LES-12, respectively) were reviewed, along with laboratory data. Results: The 32 patients had an average age of $54.0{pm}14.5$ years and were predominantly male (n=26) and presented mainly during summer. Compared to G-0 and LES-0, re-evaluated G-12 and LES-12 were significantly increased despite initial administration of proper antivenin dosage (p=0.001 and p=0.000, respectively). Total amounts of antivenin correlated with LES-12 (correlation co-efficiency 0.558, p<0.05). However, factors associated with symptom progression were not revealed. Conclusion: Initial snakebite symptoms might progressively worsen within hours despite acceptable initial antivenin therapy. Therefore, re-evaluation within several hours must be considered if when the initial snakebite symptoms are minimal or mild.
- A Case of Fatal Arrhythmia after Propafenone Overdose
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Yeon-Young Kyong, Kyoung-Ho Choi
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2008;6(2):123-129. Published online December 31, 2008
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- A 36-year-old female was transferred to our emergency medical center with decreased mental status after a 6.0 g propafenone overdose because of domestic disturbance. She had no previous history of epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, hypertension or psychiatric illness. Before presenting to our center, gastrointestinal decontamination, charcoal administration, and endotracheal intubation due to bradycardia and generalized seizure had been performed. Soon after hospital arrival, at 5 h after ingestion, she collapsed into shock and fatal arrhythmia. We successfully resuscitated the patient with amiodarone, sodium bicarbonate, a large volume of normal saline, calcium, and ventilator care. At 23 h after ingestion, she was fully recovered and had no subjective signs or symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of intentional propafenone overdose in Korea, which we report with reviews of the previous literature.
- Status Epilepticus as a Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome
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Young-Min Oh, Kyoung-Ho Choi
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J Korean Soc Clin Toxicol. 2008;6(1):45-48. Published online June 30, 2008
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- A 57-year-old man was transferred to our emergency department with decreased mental status after organophosphate intoxication. He had a four year history of benzodiazepine and hypnotic medication use for chronic insomnia and a depressive mood disorder. He had no previous history of seizures, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. By hospital day 5, the patient was noted to be awake and to have repetitive jerking movements involving the left upper extremity, and appeared apathetic, depressed and less responsive to external stimuli. A benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome was subsequently apparent when he developed several generalized tonic clonic seizures and status epilepticus. Using a continuous midazolam intravenous infusion, we successfully controlled the refractory seizure without complications. We present a rare case of status epilepticus from a benzodiazepine withdrawal that developed during the treatment for organophosphate intoxication.
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KSCT
Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology