Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning: A report of 6 cases and literature review

Objective To analyze the mechanism, clinical characteristics, diagnoses and treatments of anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning. Methods Six cases diagnosed with anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning in our department since 2012 were enrolled in this study and its related literatures were reviewed. Results Poisoning was characterized by hematuria, bleeding of oral and nasal cavities in 6 patients. Of the 6 cases, 3 patients presented with hematuria as primary clinical manifestation and one of them was accompanied by bleeding of oral and nasal cavities; 2 were accompanied by oral mucosal bleeding and 1 by skin petechiae or ecchymoses; 1 without bleeding symptom. The white blood count (WBC) elevated mildly in 3 patients, hemoglobin level decreased in 5 cases; prothrombin time, activated partial prothrombin time and thrombin time were prolonged and activity of thrombinogen reduced in 5 patients. Coagulation factor Ⅱ Ⅶ, Ⅸ, Ⅹdecreased. Hemorrhage was effective after supplementary of vitamin K₁or fresh frozen plasma (or prothrombin complex). Conclusion Primary manifestation being hemorrhage of multiple sites should be taken into account the possibility of anticoagulant rodenticides poisoning, which is mainly treated by supplementary of vitamin K₁.