| Acute accidental exposure to chlorine gas: clinical presentation, pulmonary functions and outcomes. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20949733 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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BACKGROUND: To study the clinical presentation, pulmonary functions and outcomes in subjects who were accidentally exposed to chlorine gas. METHODS: Prospective observational study of 64 patients who sustained acute accidental exposure to chlorine gas during a leak in the chlorination system of the public bathing pool of a temple. RESULTS: The major presenting symptoms and signs included acute dyspnoea (100%), chest discomfort (100%), cough (97%), eye irritation (88%), giddiness (72%), vomiting (46%), and heaviness in the head (44%); tachycardia (100%), tachypnoea (96%) and polyphonic wheezing (28%). All patients were managed in the emergency room with humidified oxygen inhalation and beta-2 agonist nebulisation and 52 were discharged within six hours. Twelve patients were severely affected and required hospitalisation; three of them were admitted into the intensive care unit. Three patients developed pulmonary oedema six to eight hours following admission. Pulmonary function testing (n = 12) at presentation revealed obstructive defect in eight and mixed obstructive-cum-restrictive defect in four patients. The mean duration of hospital stay was 5.1 +/- 2.1 days. None of the patients died. Reactive airway dysfunction syndrome (RADS) was observed in three of the 12 hospitalised patients, who complained of manifested persistent cough that lasted for three months period following discharge. Serial pulmonary functions recovered to normal range by the end of the six months in all patients and remained so at one-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Acute exposure to chlorine gas is an uncommon, but important public health hazard and can cause RADS, acute lung injury and pulmonary function abnormalities, which are reversible on prompt and appropriate management. |
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Authors:
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Alladi Mohan; S Naveen Kumar; M H Rao; S Bollineni; I Chiranjeevi Manohar |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The Indian journal of chest diseases & allied sciences Volume: 52 ISSN: 0377-9343 ISO Abbreviation: Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci Publication Date: 2010 Jul-Sep |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-10-18 Completed Date: 2010-11-02 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 7612044 Medline TA: Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci Country: India |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 149-52 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. alladimohan@rediffmail.com |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Accidents* Acute Disease Adult Chlorine / poisoning* Female Gases Humans Lung Diseases / chemically induced*, diagnosis, physiopathology Male Oximetry Respiratory Function Tests |
| Chemical | |
Reg. No./Substance:
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0/Gases; 7782-50-5/Chlorine |
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