This RCT will be nested into a study of activated charcoal in unselected cases of poisoning (ISRCTN02920054). All investigations and outcome assessments for ISRCTN02920054 will suffice for this RCT. Extra blood samples will not be taken from patients in this RCT.
The main hypothesis is that the pralidoxime will reduce the case fatality rate from 25% to 19%, hence the primary comparison will be pralidoxime versus placebo. The dimethyl versus diethyl state of the OPs is thought to be fundamental for the effectiveness of oximes in OP poisoning. Dimethylated acetylcholinesterase ages quickly such that oximes do not work in vitro more than 12 hours post-ingestion; in contrast, diethylated acetylcholinesterase age slower so that oximes in vitro work for three to four days post-ingestion. Therefore, once the dimethyl/diethyl status has been retrospectively determined, the analysis will be repeated separating the two groups of OP agents.
It is possible that the oxime, if effective in reducing case fatality rates, will be more effective the earlier it is started. Therefore we will assess the trends in clinical effectiveness according to time post-ingestion to start of therapy. This will be repeated once dimethyl compounds have been distinguished from diethyl compounds. We also want to determine whether treatment should be started irrespective of severity. We will therefore assess trends in case fatality rates across a gradient of severity.
We hypothesise that pralidoxime treatment will prevent the occurrence of the intermediate syndrome; this will therefore be an important secondary outcome. This analysis will be repeated once retrospective toxicological analysis has separated dimethyl compounds from diethyl compounds.
Subgroup analyses are planned to look at the consistency of treatment effect across different types of pesticide, i.e. dimethylated versus diethylated OP pesticides, and for locally common pesticides. A further subgroup analysis will be performed according to the presence of reactivatable acetylcholinesterase before treatment, following retrospective assays of ex-vivo reactivatability.
Please note that as of 14/12/2007 the anticipated end date of this trial has been extended to 01/07/2007. The intial anticipated end date of this trial was 31/05/2007.
1. Under the age of 14 years
2. Known to be pregnant
3. Have previously received Pralidoxime
4. Patients under the age of 16 or unconscious, who are present without relatives
2. Time requiring ventilation
3. Percentage of patients developing the intermediate syndrome (cranial nerve palsies and/or proximal weakness, without distal weakness, after resolution of the cholinergic crisis)
Royal Infirmary
51 Little France Crescent
Wellington Square