Human poisoning with glyphosate-surfactant herbicides: Retrospective analysis of mortality outcomes of patients treated in a poison center

Kuan Hung Liu, Shu Sen Chang, Chao Ying Tu, Hsien Yi Chen, Wen Chin Lee, Kai Fan Tsai, Po Yen Kuo, Ju Ching Yen, I. Kuan Wang, Tzung Hai Yen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The toxicity and carcinogenicity of glyphosate have long been debated. Nevertheless, the mortality rate in patients with acute glyphosate-surfactant poisoning varies across different groups.

METHODS: Between 2002 and 2020, 109 patients with glyphosate-surfactant poisoning received treatment at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Patients were stratified into two subgroups according to their prognosis: good ( n = 74) or poor ( n = 35). Baseline demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, medical complications, and laboratory data were collected, and mortality data were analyzed.

RESULTS: The patients were 54.1 ± 17.5 years of age and were mostly male (68.8%). Most patients (91.7%) ingested pesticides intentionally, and patients arrived at the hospital within 7.1 ± 12.7 h. Psychiatric comorbidities were prevalent, and the top three comorbidities were mental (71.6%), depressive (48.6%), and adjustment (14.7%) disorder. Patients with poor prognoses were older than those with good prognoses ( p = .007). Moreover, patients with poor prognoses had lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores ( p < .001) and diastolic blood pressure ( p = .008), but higher incidences of upper gastrointestinal bleeding ( p < .001), aspiration pneumonia ( p < .001), hypotension ( p < .001), hyperglycemia ( p = .002), acute kidney injury ( p < .001), and metabolic acidosis ( p < .001) than patients with good prognoses. The mortality rate was 5.5%. A multivariate-logistic-regression model revealed that the Glasgow Coma Scale score was a significant risk factor for poor prognosis (odds ratio 0.653, confidence interval 0.427-0.998; p = .049). However, no risk factors for mortality were identified.

CONCLUSIONS: A total of 32.1% of patients with glyphosate-surfactant poisoning had poor prognoses, and 5.5% of patients died despite treatment. The mortality outcome is comparable to that of published reports from other international poison centers.

Original languageEnglish
JournalHuman and Experimental Toxicology
Volume43
DOIs
StatePublished - 01 01 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.

Keywords

  • Glyphosate-surfactant
  • mortality
  • pesticide
  • poisoning
  • psychiatric comorbidity
  • suicide
  • Prognosis
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Glyphosate
  • Herbicides/poisoning
  • Poison Control Centers/statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Adult
  • Glycine/analogs & derivatives
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Aged
  • Surface-Active Agents/poisoning

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