Methanol half-life during ethanol administration: implications for management of methanol poisoning.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the half-life of methanol in methanol-poisoned patients who are treated with ethanol but not with hemodialysis.

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

University Hospital, University of Manitoba.

PARTICIPANTS

Three methanol-poisoned patients treated with ethanol but not with hemodialysis and three similar patients identified by a literature review.

RESULTS

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.

CONCLUSION

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.