Alcohol consumption epidemic and its complications during the COVID-19 pandemic in Khuzestan Province, Iran; 2020 (original) (raw)
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COVID-19 and Alcohol Poisoning: A Fatal Competition
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Scientific Reports
A methanol poisoning outbreak occurred in Iran during the initial months of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of the outbreak in terms of hospitalizations and deaths. A cross-sectional linkage study was conducted based on the hospitalization data collected from thirteen referral toxicology centers throughout Iran as well as mortality data obtained from the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (LMO). Patient data were extracted for all cases aged > 19 years with toxic alcohol poisoning during the study period from February until June 2020. A total of 795 patients were hospitalized due to methanol poisoning, of whom 84 died. Median [interquartile ratio; IQR] age was 32 [26, 40] years (range 19–91 years). Patients had generally ingested alcohol for recreational motives (653, 82.1%) while 3.1% (n = 25) had consumed alcohol-based hand sanitizers to prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. Age was significantly lower in survivors than in non-...
Complementary Medicine Journal (CMJA), 2022
Background: Outbreaks of methanol poisoning were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acute methanol poisoning is a global crisis. Methanol can cause acute and fatal toxicity through metabolic acidosis. In the present study, we evaluated demographic, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of patients who died in the recent outbreak of methanol poisoning in Tehran from March to April 2020. Methods: This cross-sectional study was accomplished at the Loghman-Hakim Hospital in Tehran on 80 patients who died of methanol toxicity. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the patient's files and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Results: Men were significantly more involved than women (%85 vs. %15). There were no significant differences between other characteristics of male and female patients, including the time between consumption to arrive hospital, dialysis sessions, pulse rate, respiratory rate, loss of consciousness, seizure, acute kidney injury, brain CT, and Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH). Blood sugar, serum potassium, and liver function tests were higher than average in most of the patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that this outbreak of methanol poisoning was due to the use of alcoholic drinks that contain methanol. Men were primarily affected that could be because of the cultural and social status of our country. The greater seizure probability in females could be because of enhancing the NMDA receptor by estrogen. Abnormalities in Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), and Prothrombin Time (PT) were seen in most patients, indicating liver damage. Misbeliefs about the protective effects of alcohol consumption against COVID-19 may lead many to consume poorly made alcohols that contain methanol and outbreaks of methanol intoxication.
International journal of medical toxicology and forensic medicine, 2022
Background: Outbreaks of methanol poisoning were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acute methanol poisoning is a global crisis. Methanol can cause acute and fatal toxicity through metabolic acidosis. In the present study, we evaluated demographic, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of patients who died in the recent outbreak of methanol poisoning in Tehran from March to April 2020. Methods: This cross-sectional study was accomplished at the Loghman-Hakim Hospital in Tehran on 80 patients who died of methanol toxicity. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the patient's files and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests. Results: Men were significantly more involved than women (%85 vs. %15). There were no significant differences between other characteristics of male and female patients, including the time between consumption to arrive hospital, dialysis sessions, pulse rate, respiratory rate, loss of consciousness, seizure, acute kidney injury, brain CT, and Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH). Blood sugar, serum potassium, and liver function tests were higher than average in most of the patients. Conclusion: Our study showed that this outbreak of methanol poisoning was due to the use of alcoholic drinks that contain methanol. Men were primarily affected that could be because of the cultural and social status of our country. The greater seizure probability in females could be because of enhancing the NMDA receptor by estrogen. Abnormalities in Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), and Prothrombin Time (PT) were seen in most patients, indicating liver damage. Misbeliefs about the protective effects of alcohol consumption against COVID-19 may lead many to consume poorly made alcohols that contain methanol and outbreaks of methanol intoxication.
Bulletin of the National Research Centre
Background Methanol poisoning is a worldwide phenomenon that has resulted in deaths and irreversible complications. However, studies show it is more prevalent in developing countries and areas with lower socioeconomic status. So, accurately recognizing socio-economic risk factors, increasing people's awareness about methanol poisoning, and proper hospital management will reduce its dangerous complications and mortality. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted retrospectively at Sina Hospital, a poisoning center and tertiary referral center in northwestern Iran, and investigated demographic findings and hospital management indicators through systematic random sampling between February 20, 2020, and September 22, 2022 (or the COVID-19 era). We assessed variable correlations using Spearman's correlation coefficient, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskall–Wallis. Results Out of 131 patients, 126 (96.2%) were males, and 5 (3.8%) were females. 45.5% and 30.3% of poisoning incidents...
Scientific Reports
The COVID-19 outbreak affected mental health globally. One of the major concerns following the COVID-19 pandemic was increased incidence of risky behaviors including alcohol consumption. This study evaluates the trend of alcohol poisoning in Loghman-Hakim Hospital (LHH), the main referral center of poisoning in Tehran, during the 2-year period from 1 year prior to 1 year after the onset (February 23rd, 2020) of the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. All patients admitted with alcohol intoxication from February 23rd, 2019 to February 22nd, 2021 were evaluated and patient data extracted from LHH electronic hospital records. Alcohols were categorized as toxic (methyl alcohol) and non-toxic (ethyl alcohol). Of 2483 patients admitted, 796/14,493 (5.49%) and 1687/13,883 (12.15%) had been hospitalized before and after the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran, respectively. In total, 140 patients did not survive, of whom 131 (93.6%) were confirmed to have methanol intoxication. Mortality was sign...
Epidemiology of Alcohol Poisoning and Its Outcome in the North-West of Iran
SBMU publishing, 2015
Introduction: Alcohol poisoning is one of the main preventable causes of death, disability, and injury in many societies. Ethanol and methanol are the most prevalent kinds of alcohol used. There is no any exact reports of alcohol poisoning and its outcome in Iranian society. Therefore, the present study was assessed the status of alcohol poisoning and its outcome in referees to the emergency department. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which was done from July 2013 to 2014 in Sina Trauma Center, Tabriz, Iran. The studied population included all alcohol poisoning cases referred to this center. Demographic variables, clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, and patient's outcome were evaluated. To assess the relation between evaluated factors and outcome of alcohol poisoning. After univariate analysis a multivariate logistic regression was applied to evaluate independent risk factors for death. P<0.05 was considered as a significant level. Results: Lastly 81 patients with alcohol poisoning were entered to the study (91.4% male) with the mean age of 27.9±10.4 years. Ten (12.3%) subjects were dialyzed and 34 (42%) cases hospitalized that 3 (3.7%) of them died. The multivariate logistic regression test displayed that plasma creatinine level (OR=2.2 95%Cl: 1.8-2.5; p=0.015) and need for dialysis (OR=6.4; 95%Cl: 5.3-7.5; p<0.001) were the only risk factors of death among these patients. Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed that total mortality rate of referees to the emergency with alcohol poisoning was 3.7% all of whom related to methanol poisoning. Based on this result, the mortality rate of methanol poisoning was estimated 20%. Need for dialysis and increasing the creatinine level were accounted as independent risk factors of death.
Drug and Chemical Toxicology
During the COVID-19 pandemic, methanol-containing beverages' consumption has risen because people mistakenly believed that alcohol might protect them against the virus. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and predisposing factors of brain lesions in patients with methanol toxicity and its outcome. A total of 516 patients with confirmed methanol poisoning were enrolled in this retrospective study, of which 40 patients underwent spiral brain computed tomography (CT) scan. The presence of unilateral or bilateral brain necrosis was significantly higher in the non-survival group (p ¼ 0.001). Also, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and brain edema were prevalent among patients that subsequently died (p ¼ 0.004 and p ¼ 0.002, respectively). Lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was related to a higher mortality rate (p ¼ 0.001). The mortality rate in chronic alcohol consumption was lower than the patients who drank alcohol for the first time (p ¼ 0.014). In conclusion, increasing the number of methanol poisoning and its associated mortality and morbidity should be considered a threat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, 2024
Background: Methanol poisoning has increased in some countries after the recent coronavirus pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and paraclinical findings of patients with methanol poisoning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients diagnosed with methanol poisoning in Imam Reza and Hasheminezhad hospitals who were hospitalized from the beginning of March 2019 to the end of April 2020. Clinical and paraclinical data were extracted from patients' files and subsequently categorized into three groups: deceased patients, living patients without complications, and living patients with complications. Results: Out of 107 patients included in the study, 20(18.69%) died, 50(46.7%) were discharged without complications, and 37(34.6%) with complications. The most frequent clinical symptoms in the patients were blurred vision (62.6%), lethargy (62.6%), nausea (43%), vomiting (41.1%), abdominal pain (15.9%), dizziness (11.2%), and dyspnea (6.5%). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, reduced pH (OR=0.007, P=0.009) and blurred vision symptoms (OR=5.096, P=0.007) significantly predicted complications. Based on univariate logistic regression, hypoxemia (OR=35.90, P=0.002), coma (OR=22.34, P<0.001), high creatinine (OR=62.39, P<0.001), and low pH (OR=0.001, P<0.001) had the greatest impact in predicting mortality. Conclusion: This study shows the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of methanol poisoning during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying critical predictors of complications and mortality, including low pH, blurred vision, hypoxemia, coma, and high creatinine levels.