Homicidal Paraquat Poisoning. 2019

Fan Chen, and Yi Ye, and Bo Jin, and Bo Yi, and Qingtao Wei, and Linchuan Liao
Department of Forensic Toxicological Analysis, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.

Paraquat poisoning usually results from suicide, occupational, or accidental exposure. Herein, we report a rare fatal case of homicidal paraquat poisoning. A 58-year-old man was poisoned by taking paraquat-mixed medicine and wearing paraquat-soaked underwear. In the absence of a history of paraquat exposure, the patient was misdiagnosed with pulmonary infection and scrotal dermatitis and died of respiratory failure 24 days after the initial exposure to paraquat. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was applied to detect and quantify paraquat in postmortem specimens. The concentration of paraquat in postmortem specimens from high to low is lung (0.49 μg/g), brain (0.32 μg/g), kidney (0.24 μg/g), liver (0.20 μg/g), cardiac blood (0.11 μg/mL), and stomach wall (<LOQ). Identification of homicidal paraquat poisoning is not easy for a clinician or a forensic pathologist, it is important to consider the possibility of paraquat poisoning when patients suffer from rapidly aggravating pneumonia of unknown origin.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007668 Kidney Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations. Kidneys
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010269 Paraquat A poisonous dipyridilium compound used as contact herbicide. Contact with concentrated solutions causes irritation of the skin, cracking and shedding of the nails, and delayed healing of cuts and wounds. Methyl Viologen,Gramoxone,Paragreen A,Viologen, Methyl
D011014 Pneumonia Infection of the lung often accompanied by inflammation. Experimental Lung Inflammation,Lobar Pneumonia,Lung Inflammation,Pneumonia, Lobar,Pneumonitis,Pulmonary Inflammation,Experimental Lung Inflammations,Inflammation, Experimental Lung,Inflammation, Lung,Inflammation, Pulmonary,Inflammations, Lung,Inflammations, Pulmonary,Lobar Pneumonias,Lung Inflammation, Experimental,Lung Inflammations,Lung Inflammations, Experimental,Pneumonias,Pneumonias, Lobar,Pneumonitides,Pulmonary Inflammations
D012131 Respiratory Insufficiency Failure to adequately provide oxygen to cells of the body and to remove excess carbon dioxide from them. (Stedman, 25th ed) Acute Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure,Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure,Hypercapnic Acute Respiratory Failure,Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure,Hypoxemic Acute Respiratory Failure,Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure,Respiratory Depression,Respiratory Failure,Ventilatory Depression,Depressions, Ventilatory,Failure, Hypercapnic Respiratory,Failure, Hypoxemic Respiratory,Failure, Respiratory,Hypercapnic Respiratory Failures,Hypoxemic Respiratory Failures,Respiratory Failure, Hypercapnic,Respiratory Failure, Hypoxemic,Respiratory Failures
D001923 Brain Chemistry Changes in the amounts of various chemicals (neurotransmitters, receptors, enzymes, and other metabolites) specific to the area of the central nervous system contained within the head. These are monitored over time, during sensory stimulation, or under different disease states. Chemistry, Brain,Brain Chemistries,Chemistries, Brain
D002853 Chromatography, Liquid Chromatographic techniques in which the mobile phase is a liquid. Liquid Chromatography
D003020 Clothing Fabric or other material used to cover the body. Clothes,Garments,Military Uniforms,Nurse Uniforms,School Uniforms,Uniforms,Garment,Military Uniform,Nurse Uniform,School Uniform,Uniform,Uniform, Military,Uniform, Nurse,Uniform, School,Uniforms, Military,Uniforms, Nurse,Uniforms, School

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