Cholinesterase activity in corpses caused by cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides

Serum cholinesterase (ChE) activity was determined in 65 corpses who died from cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides during 1988 to 1992. All of these cases were not treated before death. There were 50 cases who died from reversible cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides, mostly methomyl group (LannateR). Their serum level of ChE activity were found to be between 110-1,072 UIL with the mean value of 458.5 U/L (17% of normal level of the Thai people). There were 15 cases who died from irreversible cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides, such as Parathion (FollidolR), Monocrotophos etc. From these cases, serum level of ChE activity were found to be between 80-603 UIL with the mean of 308.3 UIL (11% of nonnal level of the Thai people). Most of above cases died by committing suicide and the ratio of male and female was about 3.6:1. The peak age of these corpses was 21-30 years old. Chiang Mai Med Bull 1993;32(2): 61-66.