DNP-Related Fatalities
Fatalities from the intake of DNP, whether accidental or suicidal, have been reported since the turn of the twentieth century (Table 1). To date, there have been 62 published deaths attributed to DNP (Fig. 1). The largest publication of 36 deaths due to DNP was published in 1919 [6]. This was a study into the deaths in munition factories in Paris due to occupational exposure to DNP. It highlights the improvements made in the factory to prevent further deaths through simple measures such as ventilation, personal protective equipment and better hygiene. This combined with changes in legislation brought the death rate down from 16.3 per 10,000 t of DNP handled/produced to 1.2 per 10,000 t.
During the 1930s, reported DNP-related fatalities were all individuals who had taken it for weight loss [46, 47, 51, 56, 57, 61, 67, 71]. After the 1930s, there have only been two During the 1930s, reported DNP-related fatalities were all individuals who had taken it for weight loss [46, 47, 51, 56, 57, 61, 67, 71]. After the 1930s, there have only been two fatalities in the remainder of the twentieth century [15, 68]. One related to deliberate ingestion of DNP [68] and the other was where an individual accidentally ingested a liquid he thought to be grape juice, but in fact contained derivatives of DNP [15]. This further decline in fatalities may reflect the labelling of DNP as ***8216;extremely dangerous and not fit for human consumption***8217; by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1938.
Over the last decade, from 2001 to 2010, there have been 12 deaths related to exposure to DNP. These fatalities have been linked to deliberate overdose [4, 22, 69], accidental toxicity associated with use by bodybuilders or for weight loss [21, 28, 72***8211;75] and accidental occupational exposure [33]. This resurgence in reported fatalities may reflect the increased availability of DNP over the internet, marketed particularly towards bodybuilders.
Preceding death, the patient is often profoundly hyperthermic and there may be associated methaemoglobinaemia. Death is usually secondary to massive cardiovascular collapse. There have been frequent reports of a rapid (within minutes) onset of generalised rigidity after death [6, 11]. This profound muscle rigidity has also been seen to happen before death making mechanical ventilation very difficult [21]. This early onset of generalised rigidity after death has been attributed to the release of calcium from the cytosol due to the depletion of ATP [22].
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Originally Posted by Lisame24
