Genetic polymorphisms influence the metabolism of ethanol and methanol, but the potential effects of genetic predisposition on the clinical course, outcome and short-term health sequelae of acute methanol poisoning are unknown. To evaluate the role of the MEOS system in methanol poisoning, we analysed the effect of three polymorphisms (RsaI - rs2031920; PstI - rs3813867; insertion/deletion I/D) within the CYP2E1 enzyme (MEOS system) in 50 adult survivors of methanol poisoning and compared their genotype frequencies with 460 controls. The minor allele frequencies of all three polymorphisms were below 5% in both groups. We did not detect significant differences in the genotype frequencies between survivors of methanol poisoning and controls (p = 0.34 for the RsaI variant; p = 0.59 for the PstI variant and p = 0.21 for the I/D polymorphism). The carriers of at least one minor allele in the CYP2E1 gene had less severe clinical symptoms and better short-term outcome after acute poisoning. Variants within the CYP2E1 gene are likely not significant genetic determinants of acute methanol poisoning (if survivors are analysed), but they may influence the severity of methanol poisoning and its visual/central nervous system (CNS) outcome.

Centre for Experimental Medicine Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine Prague Czech Republic

Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2015 Jul;117(1):1-2. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.12408. PubMed

Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2015 Jul;117(1):3-4. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.12409. PubMed

References provided by Crossref.org

Intermittent versus continuous renal replacement therapy in acute methanol poisoning: comparison of clinical effectiveness in mass poisoning outbreaks

Positive serum ethanol concentration on admission to hospital as the factor predictive of treatment outcome in acute methanol poisoning

Severe Methanol Poisoning with Supralethal Serum Formate Concentration: A Case Report