• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2004

Acute poisoning is one of the diseases which need the most fastest emergency measures at the very beginning. However, at present, The Korea doesn't manage the toxication all over the country, and in particular, there is no guide to medical cure paying due regard to the traits of each area. This paper focused on the issue that the necessary data in preparing the facilities for the treatment of the poisoned patients and materials for medical treatment including antidote would have to be collected, after finding the special features of the symptoms by searching the present conditions of the poisoning in small towns next to farm villages in the North area of Youngseo, Kangwon province. This study was based on the questionnaires from 111 patients who were carried into the emergency room by the poisoning in two university hospitals of the North area of Youngseo, Kangwon, for one year, 2002. Upon investigation, the patients(111) visiting emergency room by the acute poisoning during the research period was found to be 0.37 percent of all patients(30,085) visiting emergency room. Among them, the most high percentage was given in their twenties and thirties at the rate of $39.6\%$, and the ratio($40.5\%$) of the poisoned patients after their fifties was much higher than a research($10\%$) of other areas. Many poisoned patients came to their rescue in an emergency room generally in spring and in winter, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Agricultural chemical of the toxic materials had a majority at a ratio of $57.7\%$, and paraquat of the agricultural chemicals was found to have a lot of toxicity by $31.7\%$. As the trace of the toxication, the oral poisoning was common by $89.2\%$, and $55.9\%$ in the case of operating gastric lavage and nasogastric irrigation, but only $14.4\%$ for prescribing antidote. The mortality of the acute poisoned patients was $17.2\%$, and the toxication by paraquat held a majority. As a result, the acute poisoning of the North area in Youngseo, Kangwon had both of the characteristics of the rural and the city, and the patients over their fifties by the population aging had more attack of the disease than other regions. Also, with the high ratio of the toxication by the agricultural chemicals, especially, the lethal agricultural chemical was used frequently. Therefore, these dangerous situations need to find the ways to cope with.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2011

Ethylene glycol (EG) is produced commercially in large amounts and is widely used as antifreeze or deicing solution for cars, boats, and aircraft. EG poisoning occurs in suicide attempts and infrequently, either intentionally through misuse or accidental as EG has a sweet taste. EG has in itself a low toxicity, but is in vivo broken down to higher toxic organic acids which are responsible for extensive cellular damage in various tissues caused principally by the metabolites glycolic acid and oxalic acid. The most conclusive analytical method of diagnosing EG poisoning is determination of EG concentration. However, victims are sometimes admitted at a late stage to hospitals or died during emergency treatment like a gastric lavage or found rotten dead, when blood EG concentrations are low or not detected. Therefore, in this study, the identification of EG was not only performed by gas chromatograpyc-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) following derivatization but also further toxicological analyses of metabolites, glycolic acid (GA) and oxalic acid (OA), were performed by ion chromatography in various biological specimens. A ranges of blood concentrations (3 cases) was $10\sim2,400\;{\mu}g/mL$ for EG, $224\sim1,164\;{\mu}g/mL$ for GA and ND $\sim40\;{\mu}g/mL$ for OA, respectively, In other biological specimens (liver, kidney, bile and pleural fluid), a range of concentrations (3 cases) was ND $\sim55,000\;{\mu}g/mL$ for EG, ND $\sim1,124\;{\mu}g/mL$ for GA and ND $\sim60\;{\mu}g/mL$ for OA, respectively. Liver and kidney tissues were recommended specimens including blood because OA, a final metabolite of EG, was identified large amounts in these despite no detectable EG caused by some therapy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.321-330
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• 1995

Purpose : To evaluate whether the early pulmonary irradiation can prevent or decrease the pulmonary damage and contribute to improve ultimate survival in paraquat lung. Materials and Methods : From Jun. 1987 to Aug. 1993, thirty patients with paraquat poisoning were evaluated. Fourteen of these patients were received pulmonary irradiation(RT). All of the patients were managed with aggressive supportive treatment such as gastric lavage, forced diuresis, antioxidant agents and antifibrosis agents. Ingested amounts of paraquat were estimated into three groups(A : minimal 50cc). Pulmonary irradiation was started within 24 hours after admission(from day 1 to day 11 after ingestion of paraquat). Both whole lungs were irradiated with AP/PA parallel opposing fields using Co-60 teletherapy machine. A total of 10Gy(2Gy/fr. x 5days) was delivered without correction of lung density. Results : In group A, all patients were alive regardless of pulmonary irradiation and in group C, all of the patients were died due to multi-organ failure, especially pulmonary fibrosis regardless of pulmonary irradiation. However, in group B, six of 7 patients($86{\%}$) with no RT were died due to respiratory failure, but 4 of 8 patients with RT were alive and 4 of 5 patients who were received pulmonary irradiation within 4 days after ingestion of paraquat were all alive though radiological pulmonary change. One patient who refused RT after 2Gy died due to pulmonary fibrosis. All 3 patients who were received pulmonary irradiation after 4 days after ingestion were died due to pulmonary fibrosis in spite of recovery from renal and hepatic toxicity Conclusion : It is difficult to find out the effect of pulmonary irradiation on the course of the paraquat lung because the precise plasma and urine paraquat concentration were not available between control and irradiation groups. But early pulmonary irradiation within 4 days after paraquat poisoning with aggresive supportive treatment appears to decrease Pulmonary toxicity and contribute survival in patients with mouthful ingestion of paraquat who are destined to have reversible renal and hepatic damage but irreversible pulmonary toxicity.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1981.05a
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• pp.5.3-6
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• 1981

There are too many kinds of esophageal corrosive agents, such as sodium hydrochloride, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, etc. Esophageal burn due to above chemical agents are decreasing recently, but still many patients visited to the hospital because of swallowing corrosive agents for the purpose of suicide or accidentally. Among the treatment of corrosive injury of the esophagus, prevention of esophageal stricture is the key point. Recently various methods are using as the treatment of corrosive esophagitis and prevention of esophageal stricture. 51 cases of corrosive injury of the esophagus who had been admitted and treated at the Dept. of Otolaryngology, Han Yang University Hospital during past 9 years (from May 1972 to Dec. 1980) were evaluated and report the result about age distribution, sex incidence, monthly distribution, cause of swallowing, swallowing agents, arriving time at hospital after swallowing, changes on oral and pharyngeal mucosa, laboratory findings, emergency treatment and treatment during admission, treatment follow up results and complications with review of liter ature. Following results were obtained; 1. Female patients 27 cases (52.9%) were more than male patients 24 cases (47.1%) and its ratio was 1.13 : 1. 2. Age distribution showed predilection for age of 21-30 with 20 cases(39.2%), and 11-20 with 11 cases (21.6%), 31-40 with 7 cases(13.7%), over 50 with 7 cases (13.7%) were following. 3. Monthly distribution showed predilection for March with 8 cases(15.7%), and April, July with 7 cases (13.7%), September with 6 cases(l1.8%), October 5 cases(9.8%) were following. 4. For the purpose of suicide was the most cause of swallowing with 40 cases(78.4%), and accidentally swallowing 11 cases(21.6%). 5. Acetic acid was the most swallowing agent with 24 cases (47.0%), and hydrochloric acid 11 cases (21.5%), lye 8 cases(15.7%), iodine 2 cases(3.9%) were following. 6. Arriving time at the hospital after swallowing showed predilection for within 12 hours with 42 cases (82.4%), and from 12 hours to 24 hours with 4 cases(7.8%) was next. 7. Moderate change with injection and swelling was the prevalent change on oral and pharyngeal mucosa with 20 cases(39.2%) and severe cases with ulceration 18 cases (35.3%), mild cases with injection 10 cases (19.6%) were following. 8. Leukocytosis was seen on 40 cases (78.4%), and increased Hct. was seen 31 cases (60.8%). On urine analysis, 14 cases(27.5%) showed over 1.030 S.G., and proteinuria was seen on 25 cases(49.0%), glycosuria was seen on 5 cases(9.8%) and hematuria was seen on 6 cases(11.8). 9. Gastric lavage was done on 30 cases (58.8%) as emergency treatment and on 3 cases(5.9%) tracheostomy was done for the airway keeping. 10. As methods of treatment during admission, L-tube insertion was done on 50 cases (98.0%), antibiotics was given to 49 cases (96.1%), steroid and antacid were given to 46 cases(90.2%). 11. 36 cases(70.6%) were in favorable condition after proper treatment, but 2 cases (3.9%) were expired during admission, 4 cases (7.8%) showed esophageal stricture in-spite of treatment, and 1 case(2.0%) showed pyloric stenosis. 12. Complications were observed in 8 cases (17.7%). Renal failure (4 cases), aspiration pneumonia (2 cases), upper G-I bleeding (1 cases), and diabetic coma (1 cases) were seen in order of frequency.