Epidemics/Outbreaks of Methanol Poisoning

Epidemics of methanol poisoning happen across the globe. There are prognostic factors associated with morbidity or mortality from methanol poisoning. Recently we have compared retrospective observational case series of methanol-poisoned patients from Norway (۱۹۷۹ and ۲۰۰۲-۲۰۰۵), Estonia (۲۰۰۱) and Tunisia (۲۰۰۳/۲۰۰۴), and patients from two different centers in Iran (Teheran ۲۰۰۴-۲۰۰۹ and Mashhad ۲۰۰۹-۲۰۱۰).۱ According to this findings, ۲۳% died. Among them, a pH < ۷.۰۰, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < ۸, and a pCO۲ ≥ ۳.۱ kPa in spite of a pH < ۷.۰۰ were found to be the strongest risk factor for poor outcome. In Iran, methanol poisoning outbreaks happen on yearly basis. It is important to have a treatment protocol in place to be prepared for potential large ones, such as what has happened in Rafsanjan last year. This review emphasizes on a road map to develop a national guideline to encounter methanol poisoning/outbreaks.