Abstract

OSCANOA, Patricia E; SIERRA, Luis M  and  MIYAHIRA, Juan. Características clínicas y evolución de los pacientes con intoxicación por metanol atendidos en un hospital general. : Clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with methanol poisoning treated in a general hospital. Rev Med Hered [online]. 2010, vol.21, n.2, pp.70-76. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objective: To describe clinical characteristics and evolution of patients with methanol poisoning. Material and Methods: A descriptive, transversal, retrospective study, case series report of patients with methanol poisoning at the Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia between 2004 and 2008. Results: We found 8 patients (6 men and 2 women) with methanol poisoning, 6 survived. In all cases pathway entrance was oral, 7 were accidental; 4 patients were alcoholics and 3 had depression. At admission, 7 had consciousness disorder, 7 blurred vision, 4 vomits and serum methanol levels were between 67-93 mg/dl. All patients had metabolic acidosis with elevated anion gap. The main complication was aspiration pneumonia. Conclusions: Due to the small number of cases we can reach conclusions, but we can say methanol poisoning is usually caused by accidental ingestion, mainly from adulterated liquor consumption by adult men with limited economic resources, most common symptoms are consciousness disorder and blurred vision, and apparently risk of death is related to severity of metabolic acidosis.(Rev Med Hered 2010;21:70-76).

Keywords : Methanol; poisoning; acidosis; alcohol; anion gap; Peru.

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