Methyl Alcohol Intoxication as a Public Health Issue: A 3-Year Retrospective Analysis

This study addresses methyl alcohol intoxications with profound acidosis requiring intensive care treatment. The objective is to contribute to the improvement of diagnostic and follow-up processes, as well as to the development of management strategies, in light of the existing literature.

The study is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort analysis conducted on patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2022 and March 2025 with suspected or laboratory-confirmed methyl alcohol intoxication.

Data collection was performed in three steps. Initially, the hospital's electronic medical database was searched using the ICD code T51.1 to identify relevant cases. Subsequently, detailed medical records were reviewed to assess clinical progress and treatment interventions. Finally, laboratory findings were obtained through the hospital's patient record system.

Demographic characteristics-including age and gender-reasons for ICU admission, pre-existing conditions, presenting symptoms, and disease severity based on Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) evaluated during the first 24 hours of ICU stay were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment interventions, including ethanol or fomepizole administration, the need for hemodialysis (intermittent hemodialysis [IHD] or continuous venovenous hemodialysis [CVVHD]), supportive therapies, ICU length of stay, and clinical outcomes were also documented.

Laboratory evaluations included arterial blood gas analysis, anion gap, osmolality, complete blood count, glucose, urea, creatinine, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride), C-reactive protein (CRP), and organ function tests such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).