Citation

Johnson B, Meggs WJ, Bentzel CJ. Ann. Emerg. Med. 1999; 33(1): 108-110.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, American College of Emergency Physicians, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/s0196-0644(99)70426-9

PMID

9867897

Abstract

A 36-year-old man with a history of depression presented to the emergency department after ingesting approximately 3,000 mL of ethylene glycol antifreeze in a suicide attempt. The patient's ethylene glycol concentration, 1,889 mg/dL, was higher than any level previously documented in the medical literature. Although his course was complicated by nausea, emesis, lethargy, metabolic acidosis, and kidney failure, the patient survived without persistent kidney failure or other chronic problems. Sustained hemodialysis and ethanol infusion were instituted in the ED, on the basis of the patient's history, before laboratory confirmation of the ingestion was obtained.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Emergency Treatment; Ethylene Glycol; Humans; Male; Poisoning; Poisons; Renal Dialysis; Suicide, Attempted