Congratulations to three members of the South Texas Poison Center (STPC) who were recognized for their scientific abstract at the 2004 North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology.
Leslie DeHart, R.N., B.S.N., poison information specialist; Cynthia Teter, Pharm.D., poison information specialist; and Miguel C. Fernández, M.D., medical and managing director of the STPC, were presented with the $1,000 “Thompson Micromedex Award for Best Scientific Abstract." The president of the American Association of Poison Control Centers presented it to the team Sept. 11, 2005.
Their award-winning scientific abstract poster is called "Blindness by Inhalation of Carburetor Cleaners Containing Methanol Among Latinos on the Texas U.S.-México Border," and the findings were published last year in the
Journal of Toxicology and Clinical Toxicology.“The poster is significant for bringing out new information on the problem of inhalant abuse,” Dr. Fernández said. “It specifically shows that clinically significant methanol-related toxicity, aside from general hydrocarbon toxicity, can result from the practice of huffing." Huffing is the act of inhaling products to get a cheap, easily-available high.
Prior to the team’s data findings, it was thought that it was not possible to reach clinically significant methanol tissue concentrations from huffing. A high methanol concentration can be an indicator of severe toxicity, causing blindness, end organ failure and death.
“As a result of this poster, and as more cases become known, the literature is expected to change and clinical practice is expected to change,” Dr. Fernández said.
The abstract also identifies the abuse of carburetor cleaning solution inhalation a problem specific to young, male Latinos on the United States-Mexico border.
“The identification of particular demographic groups at risk means that efforts to stem this health problem could be more specific to better utilize public health education, injury prevention and other outreach program efforts,” Dr. Fernández said. “The Spanish speaking Latino population is historically less likely to utilize poison control services. Our study points to a specific toxicological cause of morbidity and mortality in these medically underserved communities that is entirely preventable.”
The full-sized poster can be viewed at the South Texas Poison Center.
