Methanol Poisoning

Methyl Alcohol Intoxication as a Public Health Issue: A 3-Year Retrospective Analysis

This study addresses methyl alcohol intoxications with profound acidosis requiring intensive care treatment. The goal is to contribute both to the improvement of diagnosis and follow-up processes and to the development of management strategies under the highlight of existing literature.

This study is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study conducted on patients admitted to the ICU between January 2022 and March 2025 with suspected or laboratory-confirmed methyl alcohol intoxication. The investigators analyzed patients' demographic characteristics, prognostic clinical and laboratory parameters, treatment approaches and outcomes

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Methanol Poisoning

Detailed Description

This study addresses methyl alcohol intoxications with profound acidosis requiring intensive care treatment. The objective is to contribute to the improvement of diagnostic and follow-up processes, as well as to the development of management strategies, in light of the existing literature.

The study is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort analysis conducted on patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2022 and March 2025 with suspected or laboratory-confirmed methyl alcohol intoxication.

Data collection was performed in three steps. Initially, the hospital's electronic medical database was searched using the ICD code T51.1 to identify relevant cases. Subsequently, detailed medical records were reviewed to assess clinical progress and treatment interventions. Finally, laboratory findings were obtained through the hospital's patient record system.

Demographic characteristics-including age and gender-reasons for ICU admission, pre-existing conditions, presenting symptoms, and disease severity based on Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) evaluated during the first 24 hours of ICU stay were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment interventions, including ethanol or fomepizole administration, the need for hemodialysis (intermittent hemodialysis [IHD] or continuous venovenous hemodialysis [CVVHD]), supportive therapies, ICU length of stay, and clinical outcomes were also documented.

Laboratory evaluations included arterial blood gas analysis, anion gap, osmolality, complete blood count, glucose, urea, creatinine, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), C-reactive protein (CRP), and organ function tests such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Demographic data, prognostic clinical and laboratory parameters, treatment modalities, and clinical outcomes were analyzed by the investigators.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 54

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Istanbul
    • Kartal, Istanbul, Turkey, 34870
      • Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The study includes patients admitted to the ICU between January 2022 and March 2025 with suspected or laboratory-confirmed methyl alcohol intoxication.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of methyl alcohol intoxication.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other toxic alcohol intoxications
• Pregnant women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
ICU Mortality Among Patients With Methyl Alcohol Intoxication	Mortality was defined as death occurring during ICU stay among patients admitted with laboratory-confirmed or suspected methyl alcohol intoxication.	Up to 30 days (during ICU follow-up)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kartal City Hospital
• Investigators: Study Chair: banu çevik, professor doctor, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kirdar City Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Alhusain F, Alshalhoub M, Homaid MB, Esba LCA, Alghafees M, Al Deeb M. Clinical presentation and management of methanol poisoning outbreaks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a retrospective analysis. BMC Emerg Med. 2024 Apr 16;24(1):64. doi: 10.1186/s12873-024-00976-1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 23, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 15, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 17, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 17, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 15, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mortality; Intensive care; intoxication; methanol
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Chemically-Induced Disorders; Poisoning
• Other Study ID Numbers: Kartal City Hospital

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: all
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: 5/4/2025-5/4/2026
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No