English

Abstract

BACKGROUND Due to the widespread use and availability of agricultural insecticides, acute organophosphate poisoning is becoming the most common type of poisoning in Kerala. The cause of death is thought to be a confluence of increased bronchial secretion, bronchospasm, respiratory muscle dysfunction, respiratory center depression and respiratory failure. The purpose of the study is to find the proportion of respiratory failure in patients with organophosphate poisoning. METHODS It is a cross sectional study done in 119 consenting patients who are known cases of organophosphorous (OP) poisoning satisfying the inclusion criteria. They underwent clinical assessment and laboratory investigations to assess complications of organophosphorous poisoning. Clinical features and lab findings were recorded as per protocol. RESULTS 65 out of 119 (54.6 %) had evidence of respiratory failure. Among these 65, 20 % succumbed to death (13). 56.5 % of males (48) and 50 % of females (17) developed respiratory failure. 72.2 % of patients more than 60 years (13) had respiratory failure. Majority of the cases were of chlorpyriphos poisoning 42 (35.3 %). 76.5 % (13) of dimethoate poisoning developed respiratory failure. 93.4 % (57) of patients with respiratory failure had elevated serum amylase levels. CONCLUSIONS Respiratory failure is a very common complication found in organophosphate poisoning. It is more common in males than females and its proportion increases with age. The incidence of respiratory failure is more with dimethoate. Serum amylase levels can be used as a marker for development of respiratory failure in organophosphate poisoning. KEYWORDS Organophosphate Poisoning, Respiratory Failure, Serum Amylase Levels