Ethylene Glycol Poisoning
Ethylene Glycol Poisoning is a topic covered in the
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Basics
- Peak serum concentration in 1–4 hr
- Half-life, 2.5–4.5 hr
- <20% excreted unmetabolized by kidneys
- Pathophysiology:
- Metabolized by hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase ultimately to oxalic acid
- Results in aldehyde and acid metabolites
- Directly toxic to kidney
- Ethylene glycol metabolism:
- Step 1 Ethylene glycol is converted by alcohol dehydrogenase to glycoaldehyde
- Step 2 Glycoaldehyde is converted by aldehyde dehydrogenase to glycolic acid
- Step 3 Glycolic acid is converted by lactate dehydrogenase to glyoxylic acid
- Step 4 Glyoxylic acid is converted to oxalic acid
- Ethylene-glycol–containing products:
- Min reported lethal dose is 30 mL of 100% ethylene glycol
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Basics
- Peak serum concentration in 1–4 hr
- Half-life, 2.5–4.5 hr
- <20% excreted unmetabolized by kidneys
- Pathophysiology:
- Metabolized by hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase ultimately to oxalic acid
- Results in aldehyde and acid metabolites
- Directly toxic to kidney
- Ethylene glycol metabolism:
- Step 1 Ethylene glycol is converted by alcohol dehydrogenase to glycoaldehyde
- Step 2 Glycoaldehyde is converted by aldehyde dehydrogenase to glycolic acid
- Step 3 Glycolic acid is converted by lactate dehydrogenase to glyoxylic acid
- Step 4 Glyoxylic acid is converted to oxalic acid
- Ethylene-glycol–containing products:
- Min reported lethal dose is 30 mL of 100% ethylene glycol
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