Histopathological Findings in a Fatal Case of Paraquat Poisoning

Moar, Jacob Joseph; Hill, Lawrence

doi:10.1097/paf.0000000000000698

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 23 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…I nternational literature attributes 14% to 20% of total suicides to agricultural pesticide poisoning, 1 making them one of the main contributors to the global suicide burden. 2 Among all agricultural pesticides, Paraquat (PQ) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, and poisoning is generally associated with accidental events, 3,4 suicides, [5][6][7] or homicides. [8][9][10][11][12][13] Accidental occurrences 14,15 are usually detectable a few hours after exposure and occur mainly among agricultural operators.…”

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confidence: 99%

A Forensic Case of Suicide Ingestion of Paraquat Herbicide

Tambuzzi,

Vacchiano,

Gentile

et al. 2023

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

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Paraquat (PQ) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world, and poisoning is generally associated with accidental, suicidal, or homicidal events. Therefore, in the forensic context, PQ could be in various ways involved as a possible cause of death of a subject. However, even though its systemic toxicity is known, the biological effects exerted on individual viscera have been explored only to some extent, especially in case of victim's survival. Therefore, a case concerning a suicidal ingestion of PQ with survival of 3 days was deemed of interest. Clinical toxicological analyses confirmed acute PQ intoxication, and after the death of the victim, an autopsy was performed showing local and systemic signs of ingestion of a caustic substance. Histologic examination revealed marked cellular damage to the major viscera, particularly the gastroesophageal tract, liver, kidneys, and lungs, with initial alveolar fibrosis noted despite the patient's short survival. This finding represents a new element in the context of PQ lung injury, as it has not been previously documented in the literature. Thus, histological findings in lethal intoxications after survival can reveal specific peculiarities still unknown and, therefore, assume transversal relevance not only at forensic but also clinical level.

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confidence: 99%

A Forensic Case of Suicide Ingestion of Paraquat Herbicide

Tambuzzi,

Vacchiano,

Gentile

et al. 2023

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

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Construction of prognosis prediction model and visualization system of acute paraquat poisoning based on improved machine learning model

Li,

Han,

Zhang

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Objective: This study aims to develop a prognosis prediction model and visualization system for acute paraquat poisoning based on an improved machine learning model. Methods: A total of 101 patients with acute paraquat poisoning admitted to 6 hospitals from March 2020 to March 2022 were selected for this study. The patients were divided into two groups, the survival group (n=37) and the death group (n=64), based on treatment results. The biochemical indexes of the patients were analyzed, and a prognosis prediction model for acute paraquat poisoning was constructed using HHO-XGBoost, an improved machine learning algorithm. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to verify the value of the self-screening features in the model. Results: Seven features were selected in the HHO-XGBoost model, including oral dose, serum creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, urea nitrogen level, and thrombin time. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences between the survival group and death group for these features (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis identified four features that were significantly associated with prognosis-serum creatinine level, oral dose, ALT level, and WBC count - indicating their critical significance in predicting outcomes. Conclusion: The HHO-XGBoost model based on machine learning is highly valuable in constructing a prognosis prediction model and visualization system for acute paraquat poisoning, which can provide important help for clinical prognosis prediction of patients with paraquat poisoning.

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Paraquat Poisoning: A Growing Homicidal Threat: Insights and Strategies

Rupesh,

Ghosh

2024

Journal of Medical Evidence

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Paraquat is a widely used non-selective herbicide in Indian agriculture. It has gained popularity for its misuse in suicidal poisoning, primarily because it lacks an antidote, and ingestion often leads to death. When examining the historical trends of pesticide-related suicidal poisonings in India, there is a noticeable transition from endrin, organophosphates and rodenticides to the current prevalent use of paraquat. This review delves into globally reported cases of homicidal paraquat poisonings, which are sporadically reported in India as well, although not published in mainstream academia. Clinicians must remain vigilant in homicidal paraquat poisoning situations as there is often improper history at the time of presentation. Such cases typically present with some non-specific symptoms such as oral and pharyngeal burns and appear like any other typical acute gastroenteritis or a flu-like illness which ultimately leads to death as a result of pulmonary complications. At the same time, forensic pathologists need to be well versed in the characteristic autopsy findings and analytical toxicology considerations of paraquat-induced criminal poisoning, given the occasional incidents in India. The use of paraquat as a weapon in poisoning cases is a significant public health concern that underscores the need for a ban on paraquat in India.

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Histopathological Findings in a Fatal Case of Paraquat Poisoning

Cited by 3 publications

References 23 publications

A Forensic Case of Suicide Ingestion of Paraquat Herbicide

A Forensic Case of Suicide Ingestion of Paraquat Herbicide

Construction of prognosis prediction model and visualization system of acute paraquat poisoning based on improved machine learning model

Paraquat Poisoning: A Growing Homicidal Threat: Insights and Strategies

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