Pediatric Organophosphates Toxicity Workup

  • Author: William Freudenthal, MD; Chief Editor: Timothy E Corden, MD   more...
 
Updated: Nov 15, 2011
 

Laboratory Studies

  • Obtain a CBC count to rule out infectious causes.
  • Chemistry tests may be useful in ruling out electrolyte disturbances.
  • RBC cholinesterase tests may reveal decreased activity, which confirms the diagnosis.
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Imaging Studies

  • Chest radiography may be performed to evaluate pulmonary edema.
  • Nonenhanced head CT scanning may be required to assess structural lesions if the patient has an altered mental status.
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Other Tests

  • Perform ECG to evaluate for cardiac arrhythmias.
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Proceed to Treatment & Management
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

William Freudenthal, MD  Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Vincent Hospital Indianapolis, IN

William Freudenthal, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Association of Military Surgeons of the US

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Mark E Ralston, MD, MPH  Staff Pediatrician, Naval Hospital Oak Harbor; Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, F Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Mark E Ralston, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michael E Mullins, MD  Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Michael E Mullins, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Johnson & Johnson stock ownership None; Savient Pharmaceuticals stock ownership None

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey R Tucker, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Disclosure: Merck Salary Employment

Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP  Director, Pediatric Hospitalist Program, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine

Daniel Rauch, MD, FAAP is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Society of Hospital Medicine

Disclosure: Baxter Honoraria Consulting

Chief Editor

Timothy E Corden, MD  Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Co-Director, Policy Core, Injury Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin; Associate Director, PICU, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Timothy E Corden, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Phi Beta Kappa, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and Wisconsin Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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Chemical terrorism agents and syndromes. Agents, signs, symptoms, tests, routes of exposure, treatment, and differential diagnosis. Chart courtesy of North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology (SPICE), copyright University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
 
 
 
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