A Propos De 45 Cas D’Intoxication Au Tétrachlorure De Carbone

Abstract

Over a period of 15 years, 45 cases of carbon tetrachloride poisoning were observed. The intoxication was prevalent in young males. It is usually due to inhalation, less frequently to ingestion. Sensitivity to CCl₄ is quite variable, and it is difficult to decide whether liver or kidney injury is aggravated by previous renal or hepatic diseases. The clinical picture usually begins with ill-defined digestive disturbances which lead to delayed admission to the hospital. Less typical signs, such as fever, bizarre neurological disturbances, haemorragic syndrome, dyspnoea, etc, may also curtail the correct diagnosis. The usual symptomatology with jaundice, painful hepatomegaly, and acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis, is only rarely observed. In the forty-five cases reported here, acute renal failure dominated the picture necessitating haemodialyses in 23 cases. Serum levels of liver enzymes were increased in 2/3 of cases and jaundice was noted in only 1/3 of cases. CCl₄ inhalation leads predominantly to kidney injury while its ingestion causes mainly hepatic lesions. Complete recovery of hepatic and renal lesions usually occurs within two to three weeks of CCl₄ exposure.