UNUSUAL FINDINGS IN A FATAL CASE OF POISONING WITH CHROMATE COMPOUNDS

An interesting case of acute poisoning by chromate compounds is report ed. A 51-year-old man committed suicide by ingesting a fatal dose of s odium chromate solution. He unexpectedly lost consciousness 6 h after the ingestion and died similar to 20.5 h later. An examination of the blood showed noticeable hepatic damage and thrombocytopenia. The postm ortem examination revealed extensive bleeding in the alimentary tract and a severe hepatic lesion due to hepatocellular necrosis. However, t he renal disorder was unusually light in the microscopic and clinical findings. Moreover, the renal lesion was observed mainly in the distal tubules instead of the proximal tubules which is more typical in case s of acute poisonings by diverse heavy metals including chromium. The patient's death was assumed to have been caused by circulatory collaps e due to internal bleeding and the direct toxicity of chromate compoun ds with hepatic malfunction and possibly disseminated intravascular co agulation (DIC).