Abstract
Laboratory results are presented for a patient who died following ingestion of an antifreeze solution containing ethylene glycol. It was observed that the measurement of osmolality, which is of value in the early stages of ethylene glycol poisoning, may give normal results if there are many hours delay between ingestion and admission. The hypocalcaemia which frequently accompanies ethylene glycol poisoning is shown to develop over several hours.
References
1.
Bove
KE
. Ethylene glycol toxicity . Am J Clin Pathol
1966 ; 45 : 46 –50 .
2.
Clay
KL
Murray
RC
. On the metabolic acidosis of ethylene glycol intoxication . Toxicol Appl Pharmacol
1977 ; 39 : 39 –49 .
3.
Hodgkinson
A.
Oxalic Acid in Biology and Medicine . London : Academic Press , 1977 ; 216 –25 .
4.
Winek
CL
Shingleton
DP
Shanor
SP
. Ethylene and diethylene glycol toxicity . Clin Toxicol
1978 ; 13 : 297 –324 .
5.
Vale
JA
Widdop
B
Bluett
NH
. Ethylene glycol poisoning . Postgrad Med J
1976 ; 52 : 598 –602 .
6.
Scully
RE
Galdabini
JJ
McNeely
EU
, eds. Case 38–1979 of the Massachusetts General Hospital . New Engl J Med
1979 ; 301 : 650 –7 .
7.
Stokes
JB
Aueron
F.
Prevention of organ damage in massive ethylene glycol ingestion . JAMA
1980 ; 243 : 2065 –6 .
8.
Editorial
. Acidosis, gaps and poisoning . Acta Med Scand
1982 ; 212 : 1 –3 .
9.
Jacobsen
D
Bredesen
JE
Eide
I
Anion and osmolal gaps in the diagnosis of methanol and ethylene glycol poisoning . Acta Med Scand
1982 ; 212 : 17 –20 .
10.
Cohen
HN
Farrah
D
Fogelman
I
A low dose regime of 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the management of senile osteoporosis: a pilot study . Clin Endocrinol
1980 ; 12 : 537 –42 .
11.
Hodgkinson
A
Williams
A.
An improved colorimetric procedure for urine oxalate . Clin Chim Acta
1972 ; 36 : 127 –32 .
12.
Moriarty
RW
McDonald
RH
. The spectrum of ethylene glycol poisoning . Clin Toxicol
1974 ; 7 : 583 –96 .
13.
Peterson
CD
Collins
AJ
Himes
JM
Ethylene glycol poisoning: Pharmacokinetics during therapy with ethanol and hemodialysis . New Engl J Med
1981 ; 304 : 21 –3 .
14.
Jacobson
D
Ostby
M
Bredesen
JE
. Studies on ethylene glycol poisoning . Acta Med Scand
1982 ; 212 : 11 –5 .
15.
Bekeris
L
Baker
C
Fenton
J
Propylene glycol as a cause of an elevated serum osmolality . Am J Clin Pathol
1979 ; 72 : 633 –6 .
16.
Gordon
HL
Hunter
JM
. Ethylene glycol poisoning . Anaesthesia
1982 ; 37 : 332 –8 .
17.
Simpson
E
Rao
LGS
Evans
RM
Calcium metabolism in a fatal case of sodium fluoride poisoning , Ann Clin Biochem
1980 ; 17 : 10 –4 .
18.
Zarembski
PM
Hodgkinson
A.
Plasma oxalic acid and calcium levels in oxalate poisoning . J Clin Path
1967 ; 20 : 283 –5 .
19.
Vale
JA
Prior
JG
O'Hare
JP
Treatment of ethylene glycol poisoning with peritoneal dialysis . Br Med J
1982 ; 284 : 557 .
