Methanol Toxicity From Occupational Exposure: A Case Report

Letters16 July 2019Methanol Toxicity From Occupational Exposure: A Case ReportMichael Beattie, DO, Christina Beattie, DO, Elizabeth D. Morrison, DO, and Ghiath Bayasi, MDMichael Beattie, DOGenesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan (M.B., C.B., E.D.M., G.B.)Search for more papers by this author, Christina Beattie, DOGenesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan (M.B., C.B., E.D.M., G.B.)Search for more papers by this author, Elizabeth D. Morrison, DOGenesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan (M.B., C.B., E.D.M., G.B.)Search for more papers by this author, and Ghiath Bayasi, MDGenesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan (M.B., C.B., E.D.M., G.B.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L18-0584 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Methanol toxicity is a potentially life-threatening condition that usually occurs by ingestion.Objective: To alert clinicians to the possibility of methanol toxicity from inhalation or dermal absorption (1).Case Report: A 42-year-old man came to our emergency department with flank pain and headache. He described 1 day of nausea, multiple episodes of emesis, and blurred vision leading to bilateral vision loss. His wife reported that he had begun a new job as a materials handler at a propane company 6 weeks earlier. Two weeks after starting the new job, he had begun having lapses in memory and atypical behaviors, ...References1. Barceloux DG, Bond GR, Krenzelok EP, Cooper H, Vale JA; American Academy of Clinical Toxicology Ad Hoc Committee on the Treatment Guidelines for Methanol Poisoning. American Academy of Clinical Toxicology practice guidelines on the treatment of methanol poisoning. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2002;40:415-46. [PMID: 12216995] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Propane Education & Research Council. Technology fact sheet - propane. Accessed at www.propanecouncil.org/uploadedFiles/FS_11992%20Using%20Methanol%20in%20Propane.pdf on 16 October 2018. Google Scholar3. Frenia ML, Schauben JL. Methanol inhalation toxicity. Ann Emerg Med. 1993;22:1919-23. [PMID: 8239117] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. World Health Organization. Information note: methanol poisoning outbreaks. 2014. Accessed at www.who.int/environmental_health_emergencies/poisoning/methanol_information.pdf?ua=1 on 16 October 2018. Google Scholar5. Ashurst JV, Happe TM. Methanol toxicity. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2018. Accessed at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482121 on 16 October 2018. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Michigan (M.B., C.B., E.D.M., G.B.)Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L18-0584.This article was published at Annals.org on 5 March 2019. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 16 July 2019Volume 171, Issue 2Page: 143-144KeywordsAlcoholsAnionsBicarbonatesEnzymesEthanolFolic acidInhalationResearch laboratoriesToxicityVision ePublished: 5 March 2019 Issue Published: 16 July 2019 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2019 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...