5-Minute Emergency Consult
Ethylene Glycol Poisoning
Basics
Description
- 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 to glycolic and 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
Etiology
- Ethylene-glycol–containing products:
- Antifreeze, Deicing solutions
- Solvents, hydraulic brake fluid
- Minimum reported lethal dose is 30 mL of 100% ethylene glycol
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Citation
Schaider, Jeffrey J., et al., editors. "Ethylene Glycol Poisoning." 5-Minute Emergency Consult, 7th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2027. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307624/4/Ethylene_Glycol_Poisoning_.
Ethylene Glycol Poisoning. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307624/4/Ethylene_Glycol_Poisoning_. Accessed July 19, 2026.
Ethylene Glycol Poisoning. (2027). In Schaider, J. J., Barkin, R. M., Hayden, S. R., Wolfe, R. E., Barkin, A. Z., Shayne, P., & Rosen, P. (Eds.), 5-Minute Emergency Consult (7th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307624/4/Ethylene_Glycol_Poisoning_
Ethylene Glycol Poisoning [Internet]. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. [cited 2026 July 19]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307624/4/Ethylene_Glycol_Poisoning_.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Ethylene Glycol Poisoning
ID - 307624
ED - Barkin,Adam Z,
ED - Shayne,Philip,
ED - Rosen,Peter,
ED - Schaider,Jeffrey J,
ED - Barkin,Roger M,
ED - Hayden,Stephen R,
ED - Wolfe,Richard E,
BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult
UR - https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307624/4/Ethylene_Glycol_Poisoning_
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 7
DB - Emergency Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
