Human toxicology
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Blood concentrations of lactate, ketone bodies and non-esterified (free) fatty acids were measured in 45 adult patients on admission to the poisoning treatment centre, with salicylate and mixed salicylate-sedative/ethanol poisoning. Nine patients had blood lactate concentrations above 2 mmol/l and six patients had ketone-body concentrations greater than 1 mmol/l. ⋯ No direct correlation was found between the presence of these metabolic disturbances and the severity of poisoning. Since only one patient was found with organic acid concentration in the blood exceeding 5 mmol/l, it is concluded that concomitant endogenous acidosis rarely contributes to the acid-base disturbance seen in salicylate poisoning in adults.
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In 1984, 60% of all the enquiries made to the Welsh National Poisons Unit in Cardiff concerned children under 15, and 86% of the latter concerned children under 5. Nearly 60% of requests for information in childhood poisoning were about non-medicinal products and this contrasts with hospital admissions which are more often associated with medicinal products in this age group. ⋯ The latter was due to increased reports of ingestion of garden plants since the number of enquiries concerning house plants remained constant. Thus availability appears to be a major determinant of the risk of poisoning with any particular product in childhood.