Predictive Factors of Mortality in Methanol Poisoning Outbreaks: A Cross-sectional Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Methanol poisoning has increased in some countries after the recent coronavirus pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and paraclinical findings of patients with methanol poisoning during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients diagnosed with methanol poisoning in Imam Reza and Hasheminezhad hospitals who were hospitalized from the beginning of March 2019 to the end of April 2020. Clinical and paraclinical data were extracted from patients’ files and subsequently categorized into three groups: deceased patients, living patients without complications, and living patients with complications. Results: Out of 107 patients included in the study, 20(18.69%) died, 50(46.7%) were discharged without complications, and 37(34.6%) with complications. The most frequent clinical symptoms in the patients were blurred vision (62.6%), lethargy (62.6%), nausea (43%), vomiting (41.1%), abdominal pain (15.9%), dizziness (11.2%), and dyspnea (6.5%). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, reduced pH (OR=0.007, P=0.009) and blurred vision symptoms (OR=5.096, P=0.007) significantly predicted complications. Based on univariate logistic regression, hypoxemia (OR=35.90, P=0.002), coma (OR=22.34, P<0.001), high creatinine (OR=62.39, P<0.001), and low pH (OR=0.001, P<0.001) had the greatest impact in predicting mortality. Conclusion: This study shows the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of methanol poisoning during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying critical predictors of complications and mortality, including low pH, blurred vision, hypoxemia, coma, and high creatinine levels.