Intermediate syndrome due to prolonged parathion poisoning.

A parathion-poisoned patient with prolonged cholinesterase inhibition due to impaired hepatic metabolism and urinary excretion is reported. An intermediate syndrome characterized by respiratory paresis, weakness in the territory of several motor cranial nerves and of proximal limb and neck flexor muscles, persisted for 3 weeks. During this whole period, cholinesterase remained markedly reduced. Serial EMGs with repetitive nerve stimulation pointed to a combined pre- and postsynaptic disorder of neuromuscular transmission. Electron microscopy of an intercostal muscle biopsy showed focal degeneration at the poorly branched postsynaptic folds, and was considered to be nonspecific.