Analysis on serum potassium of 56 cases from 10 poisoning accidents caused by trimethyltin chloride(TMT)

ObjectiveTo study the practical value of h yp okalemia as an early index of diagnosis, therapy and prevention in TMT intoxicat ion. Methods The serum potassium of 56 cases exposed to TMT in 10 poisoning accidents were analyzed. ResultsHypokalemia was found to be the main clinical sign of occupational TMT exposure and intoxicatio n. The serum potassium of 48(85 7%) cases were below 3 5 mmol/L. Hypokalemia w as also found in 120(54 5%) TMT exposers occupationally. Hypokalemia could last more than a week in most of the cases. ConclusionThe availabl e evidence suggested that hypokalemia could be an early sensitive index o f TMT intoxication in workers exposed to organotin plastic stabilizer.