[Ethylene glycol intoxication. Important differential diagnosis in comatose patients with metabolic acidosis]

Anaesthesist. 2009 Jan;58(1):35-8. doi: 10.1007/s00101-008-1460-5.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Ethylene glycol is an alcohol, which is mainly used as antifreeze. Intoxication with ethylene glycol can cause neurological and cardiopulmonary symptoms, metabolic acidosis and acute renal failure. Therapeutic options include reversal of metabolic acidosis, inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase and early hemodialysis. In survivors of the acute phase, lasting damage is rare. The case of a 49-year-old patient with ethylene glycol intoxication is reported which was characterized by progressive impairment of consciousness, tetraparesis, hyperventilation and metabolic acidosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Acidosis / chemically induced*
  • Acidosis / diagnosis*
  • Alcohol Dehydrogenase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Blood Chemical Analysis
  • Blood Gas Analysis
  • Coma / chemically induced*
  • Coma / diagnosis*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Ethylene Glycol / poisoning*
  • Humans
  • Hyperventilation / chemically induced
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quadriplegia / chemically induced
  • Renal Dialysis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Alcohol Dehydrogenase
  • Ethylene Glycol