Prospective Hospital-Based Clinical and Electrophysiological Evaluation of Acute Organophosphate Poisoning

Acute organophosphate (OP) poisoning is one of the most common poisoning causing significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Acute cholinergic manifestations predominate with many patients requiring intensive care management and ventilator support. Nerve conduction studies including repetitive nerve stimulation can evaluate the altered neuromuscular transmission and peripheral nerve function by OPs.

To evaluate the electrophysiological abnormalities in patients with acute OP poisoning and correlate with clinical status.

Patients with acute OP poisoning admitted from August 2016 to August 2017 were prospectively studied. Nerve conduction studies including phrenic nerve conduction were performed within 24 h of admission. Repetitive nerve stimulation was performed at 3 and 30 Hz. Nerve conduction findings were compared with data from age-matched healthy controls.

Thirty patients were included (18 men and 12 women) in the study. Their age ranged from 16 to 47 years (30 ± 9.2). The first assessment revealed a mild reduction of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and reduced F-wave persistence. Eleven patients had repetitive CMAPs suggesting cholinergic excess. Seven among the 11 patients requiring mechanical ventilation had decrement-increment response with 30 Hz stimulation and reduced diaphragmatic CMAP amplitude (P = 0.02).

The presence of repetitive CMAPs, decrement-increment response to tetanic stimulation and reduced diaphragmatic CMAP amplitude in OP poisoning patients correlate with neuromuscular paralysis and need for mechanical ventilation.