Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients Who Died of Methanol Toxicity During COVID 19 Period in Loghman-e Hakim Hospital in Tehran

Abstract

Background: Outbreaks of methanol poisoning were observed during the Covid 19 pandemic. Acute methanol poisoning is a global crisis. Methanol can cause acute and fatal toxicity through metabolic acidosis. In the present study, we evaluate demographic, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of patients who died in the recent outbreak of methanol poisoning in Tehran in March and April 2020. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was accomplished at the Loghman-Hakim Hospital in Tehran that performed on 80 patients who died of methanol toxicity; demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the patient’s files and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Results: Men were significantly more involved than women %85 vs. %15. There were no significant differences between other characteristics of male and female patients, including time between consumption to arrive hospital, dialysis sessions, pulse rate, respiratory rate, loss of consciousness, seizure, acute kidney injury, brain C.T. and ICH (intracerebral hemorrhage). BS (blood sugar) and liver function tests and serum potassium were higher than average in most of the patients. Discussion and conclusion: Our study shows this outbreak of methanol poisoning was due to the use of alcoholic drinks that contain methanol. Men were primarily affected that could be because of the cultural and social status of our country. The greater seizure probability in females could be because of enhancing the NMDA receptor by estrogen. Abnormality in ALT (alanine aminotransferase), AST (aspartate aminotransferase), and PT (prothrombin time) was seen in most patients, indicating liver damage. Misbeliefs about the protective effects of alcohol consumption against COVID-19 may lead many to consume poorly made alcohols that contain methanol and outbreaks of methanol intoxication.