A REPORT OF ACCIDENTAL ETHYLENE-GLYCOL INGESTION IN 2 SIBLINGS

We describe a case of 2 siblings aged 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 yrs accidentally poisoned by ethylene glycol ingestion. We found estimating the level of ethylene glycol in plasma by calculation of osmolar gap too insensi tive to be of value and advocate the availability of a specific method . In our study only one of the 2 children had a toxic level of ethylen e glycol but assay by conventional assay and by proton magnetic resona nce spectroscopy ((1)HMRS) of toxic metabolites viz glycolate, glyoxyl ate and oxalate showed both to be excreting grossly elevated levels. T his indicates the desirability of assaying the toxic metabolites of th e glycol as well as the parent compound in assessing ingestions.