J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  1998 Mar;9(1):135-141.

Different Clinical Features of Organophosphate Insecticides Intoxication According to The Route of Administration: Disparity Between Clinical Severity And Plasma Cholinesterase Level

• Oh BJ
• Hwang SO
• Lee KH
• Hong ES
• Lim JC
• Kim H
• Cho JH
• Shin JS
• Yoo KC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Organophosphate insecticides poisoning is one of the most common toxicologic emergencies in Korea. There have been few reports of organophosphate intoxication via parenteral route, although many reports on organophosphate intoxication by oral ingestion were present in the literature. This study aimed to validate the clinical characteristics of organophosphage intoxication according to the route of administration to the body. METHOD: Data were collected retrospectively by the review of the medical records from 49 patients with organophosphate intoxication. Severity of intoxication was classified by the Namba's Classification. Collected data were analysed and compared on the clinical features and laboratory findings between the patient intoxicated by inhalation or contact(parenteral group, n=23) and the other oral ingestion(enteral group, n=26).
RESULTS
Severity class by clinical features was higher in enteral group than parenteral group. Severity class by serum cholinestetrase level was not positively correlated with severity class by clinical manifestations. Cholinesterase level tended to overestimate the severity of intoxication in parenteral group. Ventilator therapy and admission to intensive care unit were more frequently needed in enteral group than parenteral group in case that the severity class by clinical features was equal.
CONCLUSION
In patients with organophosphate intoxication by parenteral route, serum cholinesterase level of the patient had disparity with clinical severity of intoxication. Considering this disparity, clinical severity should be considered as a more important indicator for treatment of organophosphate intoxication including atropinization, rather than serum cholinesterase level in patients intoxicated by parenteral route.

MeSH Terms

Cholinesterases*
Classification
Eating
Emergencies
Humans
Inhalation
Insecticides*
Intensive Care Units
Korea
Medical Records
Plasma*
Poisoning
Retrospective Studies
Ventilators, Mechanical
Cholinesterases
Insecticides