Organophosphate-pyrethroid combination pesticides may be associated with increased toxicity in human poisoning compared to either pesticide alone

Abstract

Background. Organophosphate (OP) poisoning results in significant toxicity while pyrethroid poisoning is associated with extremely low fatality. OPs can inhibit the detoxification of pyrethroid and increase the toxicity of the combination. We assessed whether mixed OP-pyrethroid poisoning impacted outcome in human poisoning. Methods. Patients were identified from a prospectively collected institutional poisoning database that incorporates demographic and outcome data of patients presenting with poisoning. Results. Of the 1177 poisoned patients admitted over 2 years, 32 presented with OP-pyrethroid (50% chlorpyrifos-5% cypermethrin mixture) poisoning (Group 1), 26 consumed 20% chlorpyrifos (Group 2), and 32 took 15% cypermethrin (Group 3). Seizures occurred in 15.6% (n = 5) with chlorpyrifos-cypermethrin poisoning, 18.8% (n = 6) with cypermethrin poisoning, and 3.9% (n = 1) with chlorpyrifos poisoning. Ventilatory requirements were 53.5% (17/32), 42.3% (11/26), and 15.7% (5/32) in Groups 1–3, respectively. Ventilator-free days (Mean ± SD) was significantly lower (p < 0.006) in Group 1 (20.9 ± 9.3 days) than those in Group 2 (26.1 ± 4.4 days) or 3 (27.8 ± 0.6). The median (inter-quartile range) hospital stay was 5.5 (4–19.5), 5 (5–6), and 1 (0.65–1.5) days, respectively, in the three groups. Four patients died in Group 1 (13%). None died in the other groups. Conclusion. Although confounded by the varying quantity of chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin in the different formulations, patients with mixed poisoning appear to have shorter ventilator-free days than patients poisoned by either of the pesticides alone. Further studies are required comparing patients poisoned by formulations with similar quantities of OP and pyrethroid or with analysis of blood pesticide concentration on admission.