Severe Poisoning After Accidental Pediatric Ingestion of Glycol Ethers

Human glycol ether poisonings are sparsely reported in the medical literature. We describe a healthy 22-month-old boy who accidentally drank up to 330 mL of brake fluid containing a 75% bleed of various glycol ethers (5%–50% polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether, 15%– 40% triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, 1%–30% triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, 1%–25% triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, 1%– 20% polyethylene glycol, monobutyl ether, 1%–20% triethylene glycol, and ,10% of other glycol ethers). Within 4 hours, he became somnolent and developed a persistent metabolic acidosis. Thirty minutes later, he received 1 dose of fomepizole. Neither progression nor improvement in clinical or metabolic status was noted after the fomepizole. He received hemodialysis for 3 hours ∼8 hours after ingestion, and his symptoms resolved resulting in an uneventfully recovery. Pediatrics 2012;130:e1026–e1029 AUTHORS: George S. Wang, MD,ab Shan Yin, MD,a Brian Shear, MD,b and Kennon Heard, MDa,c aDenver Health and Hospitals, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver, Colorado; bSection of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver, Colorado; and cDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado