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Fatal poisoning by vanadium.
Brahim Boulassel1, Nouredine Sadeg, Olivier Roussel
1Service Médecine Légale, CHU NEDIR Mohamed, Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria.
Forensic Science International
|December 7, 2010
Summary
A fatal ammonium vanadate poisoning case is detailed, involving severe symptoms like acute kidney injury and gastrointestinal distress. The study highlights the rapid, systemic toxicity of vanadium, leading to death from respiratory failure.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Ammonium vanadate is a chemical compound with potential toxicity.
- Understanding the clinical manifestations and toxicological profile of acute vanadate poisoning is crucial for emergency medical response.
Observation:
- A 24-year-old woman presented with severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, and acute renal failure after ingesting an unknown quantity of ammonium vanadate.
- Despite intensive care, the patient rapidly deteriorated and died within 24 hours, exhibiting signs of widespread asphyxia and erosive gastritis.
Findings:
- Blood analysis revealed an extremely high vanadium concentration (6.22 mg/L), approximately 6000 times the normal level.
- The rapid clinical decline and autopsy findings suggest systemic vanadium poisoning inhibited cellular respiration.
Implications:
- This case underscores the acute, severe, and potentially fatal toxicity of ammonium vanadate.
- It highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of vanadium poisoning in clinical toxicology.
- Further research into the precise mechanisms of vanadium-induced cellular respiratory inhibition is warranted.
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