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Low‐dose ethanol in the treatment of ethylene glycol poisoning
Author(s) -
TARR BRYAN D.,
WINTERS LORA J.,
MOORE MICHAEL P.,
COWELL RICK L.,
HAYTON WILLIAM L.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-2885
pISSN - 0140-7783
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2885.1985.tb00954.x
Subject(s) - ethanol , chemistry , ethylene glycol , sodium bicarbonate , urine , ethylene glycol poisoning , metabolic acidosis , excretion , pharmacology , medicine , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Tarr, B.D., Winters, L.J., Moore, M.P., Cowell, R.L. & Hayton, W.L. Low‐dose ethanol in the treatment of ethylene glycol poisoning. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 8, 254–262. pharmacokinetic study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of lower doses of ethanol in the treatment of ethylene glycol (EG) poisoning. Four dogs were maintained at serum ethanol concentrations of 0, 35 and 140 mg/dl prior to EG (i.v., 2 ml/kg) administration. The serum EG concentration‐time data showed that the 35 mg/dl ethanol level provided as effective an inhibition of EG metabolism as did the 140 mg/dl level. The average urinary excretion rate of oxalic acid post EG administration was reduced to control levels by ethanol. The 35 mg/dl serum ethanol level reduced the total body clearance of EG from 93.9 to 50.0 ml/h/kg and increased the effective half‐life from 5.78 to 11.4 h. Clinical‐testing was accomplished by giving the dogs 12 ml EG/kg body weight orally. One hour later, the dogs were either not treated or treated with a sodium bicarbonate‐ethanol solution to obtain a serum ethanol concentration of 50 mg/dl. The clinical test performed in the ethanol‐treated dogs showed little change from normal limits. Urine calcium oxalate crystals were seldom found. The dogs given EG (12 ml/kg) but not treated with ethanol were in a coma at 13 h and showed severe metabolic acidosis, dehydration, mild hepatocellular disease and acute renal damage. Urine calcium oxalate crystals were found in high numbers. The rapid death associated with EG poisoning appeared to be due to metabolic acidosis in combination with dehydration. Bryan D. Tarr, College of Pharmacy, Washington Slate University, Pullman, WA 99164, U.S.A.