Bratisl Lek Listy 2009; 110 (5) 301 303
CLINICAL STUDY
Unintentional endosulfan poisoning Salim Satar1, Ahmet Sebe1, Nezihat Rana Alpay1, Umut Gumusay1, Ozlem Guneysel2 Cukurova University, School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Balcali-Adana, Turkey.
[email protected] Abstract: Endosulfan is an organochloride insecticide, widely used in insect control. It is responsible for many severe intoxication and several deaths. We present a case series of endosulfan poisoning, admitted to our emergency department with different clinical courses. Two patients presented with status epilepticus and were successfully treated with thiopental sodium to control seizures. One patient required also hemodialysis. All patients were discharged following a complete recovery of their health. Endosulfan is a highly toxic insecticide that produces tonic-clonic convulsions, headache, dizziness and ataxia. It can cause also life threatening metabolic disturbances. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive (Tab. 2, Ref. 11). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk. Key words: emergency, endosulfan, hemodialysis, poisoning, status epilepticus.
Organochloride insecticides are chlorinated cyclic hydrocarbons. These highly toxic compounds are responsible for many severe intoxication and several deaths worldwide. Endosulfan is an organochloride insecticide, widely used in insect control and is absorbed by both humans and animals through the intestinal tract, lungs, and the skin (1). Case series of endosulfan poisoning are rare in literature. In this study we present 6 patients from the same family with unintentional endosulfan poisoning after ingesting the soup with endosulfan. Two patients presented with status epilepticus and metabolic acidosis; one patient needed an urgent haemodialysis. Cases We present a case series of endosulfan poisoning consisting of 7 patients, one of them was dead on the arrival to the emergency department. The remaining 6 patients were previously healthy females, presented with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and paresthesia following last meal, the soup, which was prepared with flavor contaminated with endosulfan, a pesticide. Two patients, described as patient 1 and 2 in the Table 1, were admitted with generalized seizure and coma, and their cardiac, respiratory and circulatory functions were abnormal. Both of them had tachycardia, hypertension, tachypnoe and fever. The remaining four patients, who were alert, did not experience seizures. The first two patients had elevated creatine phospho kinase (CPK) Cukurova University, School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 01330, Balcali-Adana, Turkey, and 2Marmara University, School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey 1
Address for correspondence: Ozlem Guneysel, Marmara Universitesi Hastanesi, Tophanelioglu C Yurtacan S No 13-15, Altunizade, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey. Phone: +90.216.3271010, Fax: +90.216.3269578
and amylase levels on arrival. Due to the similarity of symptoms; elevated exocrine secretions and seizures, serum pseudocholinesterase levels were detected and were normal in all patients (Tab. 1). Biochemical and hematological analyses of the patients, with initial and final results are shown in the Table 1. Blood gases analyses of the patients (Tab. 2) revealed different results, such as decompensated metabolic acidosis in the patient 1, with different levels of compensation in other patients. Seizures in the patient 1 persisted despite the therapy with benzodiazepines and phenytoin. General anesthesia with sodium thiopental was used to control seizures and was successful. Medical therapy with bicarbonate was initiated to control metabolic acidosis in the same patient. However, medical interventions were insufficient to control acidosis and hemodialysis was performed once. Phenytoin was used to control seizures in the patient 2, since benzodiazepines were ineffective. CPK enzyme levels were elevated on arrival and during hospitalization in the patients 1 and 2 due to ongoing seizures. Patients were closely monitored for renal functions and hydrated with crystalloid fluids. All were hospitalized, patient 1 for 5 days; patient 2 for 4 days and other four patients for 2 days. No complications occurred and all patients were discharged with previous health status. Discussion Organochlorine pesticides antagonize the major inhibitory neurotransmitters, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and glycine.1 Binding of these pesticides to glycine and GABA-A gated chloride channel reduces influx of chloride ions, leading to neuronal hyperexcitability and toxicity (1). Clinical effects of organochlorine poisoning are predominantly seen as gastrointestinal and neurological toxicity; convulsion is a common and severe manifestation. Endosulfan is a polychlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide used in agriculture. Clinical effects from exposures to en-
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Bratisl Lek Listy 2009; 110 (5) 301 303 Tab. 1. The biochemical, hematological and coagulation tests of the patients. Parametrs (normal values)
Patient 1 initial final
Patient 2 initial final
Patient 3 initial final
Patient 4 initial final
Patient 5 initial final
Patient 6 initial final
Glc (70105 mg/dL) tBil (
