Phenotypic and cytogenetic studies in self-poisoned patients.

Persons who attempt suicide by taking high doses of chemicals but survive may represent an appropriate human model of mutagenesis epidemiology for the study of somatic and germinal mutagenicity of drugs, pesticides and other chemicals. The most important results of systematic studies in self-poisoning individuals over the last 20 years are summarized. Trichlorfon and diazepam caused a higher rate of aneuploidy in peripheral lymphocytes. The frequency of chromatid aberrations was lower in self-poisoned pregnant women than in self-poisoned non-pregnant women and these findings suggest a possible protective effect of pregnancy. Intrauterine growth retardation was found in children born after self-poisoning.