Citation

Amend N, Niessen KV, Seeger T, Wille T, Worek F, Thiermann H. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Bundeswehr Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Munich, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/nyas.14336

PMID

32198755

Abstract

Although 193 states have committed to the Chemical Weapons Convention and 98% of the declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been destroyed so far, nerve agent poisoning remains a lingering threat. The recent dissemination of sarin in Syria, the assassination of Kim Jong-Nam in Malaysia, and the assault on Sergei Skripal in the United Kingdom underline the need for effective treatment. The current therapeutic options of a muscarinic receptor antagonist, an oxime, and an anticonvulsant have been unchanged for decades. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies, for example, bio scavengers and receptor-active substances, are promising concepts that have to be examined for their benefits and limitations. In order to facilitate rapid diagnosis in challenging clinical situations, point-of-care diagnostics and detection are of importance. Therapeutic guidance concerning the duration and success of the current oxime therapy via determination of the cholinesterase status can contribute to an optimal use of resources. In summary, the challenges of current and future therapies for nerve agent poisoning and key diagnostic devices will be discussed.

© 2020 New York Academy of Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

countermeasures; medical chemical defense; nerve agent poisoning; organophosphorus compounds; scavenger