Epidemics of methanol poisoning happen across the globe. There are prognostic factors associated with morbidity or mortality from methanol poisoning. Recently we have compared retrospective observational case series of methanol-poisoned patients from Norway (1979 and 2002-2005), Estonia (2001) and Tunisia (2003/2004), and patients from two different centers in Iran (Teheran 2004-2009 and Mashhad 2009-2010).1 According to this findings, 23% died. Among them, a pH < 7.00, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 8, and a pCO2 ≥ 3.1 kPa in spite of a pH < 7.00 were found to be the strongest risk factor for poor outcome. In Iran, methanol poisoning outbreaks happen on yearly basis. It is important to have a treatment protocol in place to be prepared for potential large ones, such as what has happened in Rafsanjan last year. This review emphasizes on a road map to develop a national guideline to encounter methanol poisoning/outbreaks.
1. Paasma R, Hovda KE, Hassanian-Moghaddam H, Brahmi N, Afshari R, Sandvik L, et al. Risk factors related to poor outcome after methanol poisoning and the relation between outcome and antidotes--a multicenter study. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2012;50:823-31.
Afshari,R . (2014). Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning. Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, 3(Supplement 1), 24-24. doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2014.2910
MLA
Afshari,R . "Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning", Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, 3, Supplement 1, 2014, 24-24. doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2014.2910
HARVARD
Afshari R. (2014). 'Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning', Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, 3(Supplement 1), pp. 24-24. doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2014.2910
CHICAGO
R Afshari, "Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning," Asia Pacific Journal of Medical Toxicology, 3 Supplement 1 (2014): 24-24, doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2014.2910
VANCOUVER
Afshari R. Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning. APJMT. 2014;3(Supplement 1):24-24. doi: 10.22038/apjmt.2014.2910
