Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Unit of Risk Management, Quality, and Accreditation, Sant'Andrea University Hospital, 00189 Rome, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Oct 27;19(21):13996. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192113996.
Over the years, forensic pathology has registered the spread of new methods of suicide, such as the ingestion of sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite causes increased methemoglobin, resulting in systemic hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, and cyanosis. Since sodium nitrite is a preservative, the ingestion of foods containing an excessive amount of this substance can also cause acute intoxication up to death. The present review is aimed at guiding health professionals in the identification and management of sodium-nitrite-related intoxications and deaths.
A systematic literature search was carried out on PubMed by following the PRISMA statement's criteria. A total of 35 studies with 132 cases were enrolled, and the data were cataloged in Microsoft Excel. To establish the causal correlation between sodium nitrite ingestion and death, the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale was used.
In addition to the small number of cases that have currently been published, the study demonstrated that there was a general methodological discrepancy in the diagnostic process. However, some interesting results have emerged, especially in post-mortem diagnostics.
Sodium-nitrite-related deaths represent a challenge for forensic pathologists; therefore, it is important to promptly recognize the essential features and perform the necessary and unrepeatable examinations for the correct diagnosis of the cause of death.
多年来，法医学已经记录到新的自杀方法的传播，例如亚硝酸钠的摄入。亚硝酸钠会导致高铁血红蛋白增加，从而导致全身缺氧、代谢性酸中毒和发绀。由于亚硝酸钠是一种防腐剂，摄入含有过量这种物质的食物也可能导致急性中毒直至死亡。本综述旨在指导卫生专业人员识别和处理与亚硝酸钠有关的中毒和死亡。
按照 PRISMA 声明的标准，在 PubMed 上进行了系统的文献检索。共纳入了 35 项研究，涉及 132 例病例，并在 Microsoft Excel 中对数据进行了编目。为了确定亚硝酸钠摄入与死亡之间的因果关系，使用了 Naranjo 药物不良反应概率量表。
除了目前已发表的少数病例外，研究表明诊断过程中存在普遍的方法学差异。然而，出现了一些有趣的结果，特别是在死后诊断方面。
与亚硝酸钠有关的死亡对法医病理学家来说是一个挑战；因此，及时识别出基本特征并进行必要的、不可重复的检查对于正确诊断死亡原因非常重要。
