• Nathalie De Brabander, Marek Wojciechowski, Koen De Decker, Annick De Weerdt, and Philippe G Jorens.
• Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium .
• Eur. J. Pediatr. 2005 Mar 1;164(3):158-61.

UnlabelledMethanol poisoning is not frequently observed in children; however, without treatment, serious intoxication can be complicated by visual impairment, coma, metabolic acidosis, respiratory and circulatory insufficiency and death. Treatment in a paediatric intensive care is therefore compulsory. Methanol is metabolised in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase to the toxic metabolites formaldehyde and formic acid. Classically, ethanol is given as a competitive inhibitor in order to avoid the formation of these compounds. We report on the use of fomepizole (4-methylpyrazole),a new and potent inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase, in a 3-year-old boy after the intake of a toxic amount of methanol. The course was uneventful and the use of fomepizole was not accompanied by any side-effects. An overview is given of all cases of paediatric poisoning in which fomepizole was used.ConclusionFomepizole seems to be a safe and valid alternative to ethanol in cases of paediatric methanol poisoning.

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