• Miran Brvar, Renata Okrajsek, Polona Kosmina, Feliks Staric, Rafael Kaps, Gordana Kozelj, and Matjaz Bunc.
• Poison Control Centre, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. miran.brvar@kclj.si
• Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2008 Mar 1; 46 (3): 270-3.

IntroductionPrometryn is a triazine herbicide, which is one of the most extensively used groups of herbicides. The mechanism of acute triazine herbicide toxicity in humans is not known. We report a first case of acute prometryn poisoning.Case ReportA 62-year-old male ingested 50 g of prometryn and ethanol in a suicide attempt. On arrival two hours after ingestion, he was somnolent and vomited. Seven hours after ingestion laboratory tests showed metabolic acidosis with a calculated anion gap of 47.5 mmol/L and lactate of 23.4 mmol/L. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed serum prometryn concentrations of 48.1 mg/L. Hemodialysis corrected metabolic acidosis, but the serum prometryn concentration increased to 67.7 mg/L. The lactate level after hemodialysis was 11.7 mmol/L and returned within normal limits 47 hours after ingestion. The patient was discharged without any sequelae after psychiatric evaluation.ConclusionIn high anion gap metabolic acidosis we should consider poisoning with prometryn and other triazine herbicides. Hemodialysis corrects metabolic derangements, but it does not lower serum prometryn concentration.

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