Fatal metformin intoxication with markedly elevated blood and liver concentrations.

ABSTRACT

The highest postmortem metformin concentrations are recorded utilizing a sensitive and specific analytical procedure. The peripheral blood metformin concentration was 240 mg/L, the liver concentration was 240 mg/kg and the gastric concentration was 1,700 mg. Additionally, an antemortem blood sample collected shortly after admission revealed a metformin concentration of 210 mg/L. These data, revealing a liver to peripheral blood ratio of 1.0, provide additional support that metformin is not subject to postmortem redistribution. Intentional self-poisonings with metformin can result in death, despite multiple medical interventions.