Citation

Shi L, Yu G, Li Y, Zhao L, Wen Z, Tao Y, Wang W, Jian X. J. Int. Med. Res. 2022; 50(9): e3000605221122745.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Field House Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/03000605221122745

PMID

36138568

Abstract

Paraquat is a non-selective contact herbicide that is absorbed through the digestive tract and skin and can cause multiple organ damage. The toxicokinetics of paraquat poisoning in specific patients are rarely reported. Case 1 was a 76-year-old man who intermittently immersed his perineum in diluted paraquat solution for 3 consecutive days because of eczema of the perineal skin. On admission, the patient's scrotal skin was severely corroded and his blood paraquat concentration was 0.5 μg/mL. He developed severe kidney and lung damage after admission and died on Day 6 of admission. Case 2 was a 23-year-old woman who ingested paraquat during gestational week 36. Her initial blood paraquat concentration was 0.81 μg/mL. The patient refused hemoperfusion and a cesarean section. She birthed a baby girl 83 hours after ingesting paraquat. Paraquat concentrations in postnatal maternal blood, fetal blood, umbilical cord blood, and amniotic fluid were 0.19 μg/mL, 0.23 μg/mL, 0.20 μg/mL, and 0.47 μg/mL, respectively. The baby died within hours of birth and the mother died of refractory respiratory failure 2 days after delivery. This paper provides clues about paraquat toxicokinetics in specific patient types and indicates that paraquat can be absorbed through the scrotal skin and the placental barrier.

Language: en

Keywords

Paraquat poisoning; placental pathology; pregnant woman; scrotal eczema; skin absorption; toxicokinetics