Palatnick W, Redman L W, Sitar D S, Tenenbein M
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Manitoba, Brandon, Canada.
Ann Emerg Med. 1995 Aug;26(2):202-7. doi: 10.1016/s0196-0644(95)70152-4.
To determine the half-life of methanol in methanol-poisoned patients who are treated with ethanol but not with hemodialysis.
Case series.
University Hospital, University of Manitoba.
Three methanol-poisoned patients treated with ethanol but not with hemodialysis and three similar patients identified by a literature review.
Plots of terminal concentration versus time data were inconsistent with zero-order kinetics and were adequately explained by an apparent first-order process. The median half-life of methanol in these patients was 43.1 hours, with a range of 30.3 to 52.0 hours.
Because of the significantly increased risk of toxicity and complications during ethanol monotherapy, we suggest that hemodialysis be considered for methanol-poisoned patients who are treated with ethanol infusion.
