Recommendations for the prescription, implementation and interpretation of medical examinations in biology in the context of severe poisoning

A multidisciplinary working group named "Toxicology and clinical biology" and whose members belong to the French Society of Clinical Biology (SFBC), Critical Care Medicine Society of French Language (SRLF), the French Society of Medical Emergency (SFMU), the French Society of Analytical Toxicology (SFTA), the Society of Clinical Toxicology (STC), and the National College of Biochemistry (CNBH) updated the professional practice recommendations published in 2003. These recommendations aimed the biologists who are not specialized in toxicology and more largely all the health professionals involved the management of severely poisoned patients. Among the data published in the initial edition, only the major table dealing with severe poisonings was updated, as all other supplements remained valid. The current revised table details poisonings due to fifty-five different xenobiotics and presents their main clinical features, useful biomarkers of toxicity, methods of identification or assays available in the emergent setting with their respective relevance and recommended delays to obtain their result. Assessments with a good agreement among the working group members regarding all laboratory issues for poisoning management are presented. A table updates the list of the main currently useful antidotes. A section on the value and place of toxicology screening was added.