Comparative Assessment of the Effects of Hydroxyethyl Starch and Normal Saline on Severe Hypotension in Patients with Aluminum Phosphide Poisoning: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND: Aluminum phosphide poisoning is one of the most common forms of poisoning which requires immediate and urgent treatment. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficiency of two solutions, including hydroxyethyl starch and normal saline, in treating hypotension in patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 35 patients with aluminum phosphide poisoning. We reviewed the profile of 18 patients treated with hydroxyethyl starch and 17 patients treated with normal saline. Within-group and between-group differences in systolic blood pressure before and after treatment were compared using paired t-test and independent t-test, respectively. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of the subjects in the starch and normal saline groups was 27.06 ± 9.72 and 27.88 ± 9.08, respectively. The levels of blood pressure in the two groups were not significantly different before the treatment; the mean ± SD of systolic blood pressure in the starch and normal saline groups was 72.67 ± 14.49 and 68.59 ± 8.3, respectively (P=0.313). After the treatment, it was significantly increased to 94 ± 24.45 and 85.18 ± 19.9 in the starch group (P=0.001) and the normal saline group (P=0.004), respectively. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.245). Only one person survived in each group. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, although there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their effects on hypotension, these treatments could not prevent mortality.