Aluminum phosphide (ALP) poisoning is a significant health concern due to its widespread availability, high potency, and lack of specific treatment options. A recent study aimed to investigate the role of the glucose/potassium (Glu-K) ratio in predicting the severity and outcomes of acute ALP poisoning. The study involved a retrospective cohort of patients admitted to the Tanta University Poison Control Center between June 2022 and June 2024. The researchers collected data on sociodemographic and poisoning characteristics and initial clinical examination findings. They calculated various scoring systems, including the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), and PGI score. The patients were categorized into two groups based on mortality outcome, and the results showed a significant difference in the Glu-K ratio between survivors and non-survivors. The study found that the median Glu-K ratio was significantly higher in non-survivors (44.8) than in survivors (28.9), with a p-value of less than 0.001. The Glu-K ratio was also positively correlated with the PSS, APACHE II, and PGI scores, indicating its potential to predict poisoning severity and outcomes. While the APACHE II score showed the highest performance in predicting mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation, the Glu-K ratio demonstrated comparable discriminatory power with other scoring systems for anticipating unfavorable outcomes. Notably, patients with a Glu-K ratio of 37.07 or higher had significantly shorter survival durations than those with a Glu-K ratio below 37.07. The study concludes that the initial Glu-K ratio is a readily available and routine biomarker for assessing the severity and outcomes of ALP poisoning, particularly in settings with limited healthcare resources. This finding has important implications for managing and treating ALP poisoning, highlighting the potential of the Glu-K ratio as a useful prognostic tool.

Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40026479/