Chemical Poisoning Research Articles

National Burden and Epidemiological Features of Mass Casualty Incidents in Spain, from 2014 to 2022.

Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs) pose significant challenges to health care systems, especially regarding emergency preparedness and response. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological characteristics and burden of MCIs in Spain from 2014 to 2022, focusing on the type, frequency, and impact of these incidents on public health and emergency services. A population-based retrospective observational study examined MCIs in Spain between January 2014 and December 2022. Data were collected from various emergency services. Incidents involving 4 or more victims requiring medical assistance and ambulance mobilization were included. The study categorized MCIs into 5 types: road traffic accidents, fires and explosions, chemical poisonings, maritime accidents, and others. A total of 1618 MCIs resulting in 8556 victims were identified, averaging 15 (95% CI, 11-19) incidents per month, with 79% due to road traffic accidents and 13% to fires and explosions, which also had the highest average of 7.6 victims per incident. Despite maritime accidents comprising only 1.9% of incidents, they had the highest fatality rate. MCIs were more frequent on weekends, in January and July, and between 3:00 PM and 9:00 PM. The average response time was 38 minutes, with 35% of victims sustaining severe injuries. Despite a slight decrease in annual MCIs from 2014 to 2022 in Spain, the trend is not statistically significant. The study highlights the need for a national registry and standardized data collection to enhance emergency preparedness and response planning and facilitate the reduction of the MCI burden.

Redox ability dependent SO2 tolerance for low-temperature NH3-SCR of MnO2@MeOX (Me = Ti, Ce, Cu) catalysts

Elucidating the deposition behavior of sulfates on catalysts of low-temperature ammonia-assisted selective catalytic reduction (NH3-SCR) helps improve their SO2 tolerance and applicability. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of the redox properties of low-temperature NH3-SCR catalysts on their catalytic activity and SO2 tolerance. Oxidizing Mn@Ce, neutral Mn@Ti, and reducing Mn@Cu catalysts were prepared, and their NH3-SCR activities and SO2 tolerances were evaluated. Subsequently, the characteristics of the catalyst poisoned by SO2 over time and the deposition behavior of sulfates on the catalyst were analyzed to determine the reaction pathway between SO2 and the NH3-SCR catalyst. The SO2 tolerance of the catalysts decreased in the following order: oxidizing Mn@Ce > neutral Mn@Ti > reducing Mn@Cu. Combined with the characteristic results, we found that the amount of shell-metal sulfate increased with SO2 poisoning time, indicating it was the dominant factor in catalyst deactivation. Specifically, the amount of shell-metal sulfate followed the order Mn@Cu-S12 (31.4 µmol) > Mn@Ti-S12 (24.9 µmol) > Mn@Ce-S12 (9.5 µmol). Additionally, the increasing SO42− ratio from Mn@Me-S4 to Mn@Me-S12 followed the order Mn@Cu (6.7%) > Mn@Ti (4.4%) > Mn@Ce (1.7%), implying that the reduction of Mn@Cu favors chemical SO2 poisoning pathway and facilitates the deposition of copper sulfate. In contrast, Mn@Ce with its strong oxidation properties, is beneficial for inhibiting the chemical poisoning pathway of SO2 and alleviating the deposition of cerium sulfate. Consequently, this study demonstrates that the redox ability of catalyst regulates the SO2 poisoning pathways, aiding the development of low-temperature NH3-SCR catalysts with high SO2 tolerance.

Chemical Poisoning: Prevalence, Knowledge, and Management of Commonly Encountered Types among Selected Adult Population

Chemical poisoning is a threat to the health of both children and adults in the Niger Delta region. Nevertheless, the study of the prevalence of poisoning has been undermined in Bayelsa state. Chemical poisoning remains an important health concern in Nigeria, especially in the south-south Niger Delta states which are rich in natural fuel. Information on the prevalence in the Niger Delta region is quite scarce, especially in Bayelsa state. The study investigated the risk factors, awareness, and perception of chemical poisoning, and the prevalence among residents of Amassoma and Yenagoa. A descriptive research employed systematic random sampling of 400 residents from Amassoma and Yenagoa from ages 15 years and above, by administering questionnaires and, collecting data. Data were analyzed using SPSS software utilizing ANOVA. The percentage of awareness of chemical poisoning is 28.4% and the majority of the respondents are educated at the tertiary level with a percentage of 51.5%. The female gender was more with a percentage of 51.0%. Among the signs and symptoms of chemical poisoning, nausea or stomach upset has a percentage of 74.6% being the highest percentage, and stomach cramps have a percentage of 72.9% while having a percentage of 56.7%. About 95.5% of respondents concurred to contacting qualified healthcare providers when poisoning is suspected and 93.8% agreed to keep all chemicals out of reach of children as a preventive measure. It can be concluded that the overall prevalence of chemical poisoning is quite low though used intentionally in young adults for suicide. It can also be said that there is proper awareness of the preventive measures for unintentional poisoning.

Venous Thromboembolic Complications in Patients with Acute Chemical Poisoning

RELEVANCE. Venous thromboembolic complications (VTEC) occur in patients hospitalized with various pathologies, complicate treatment and increase mortality. This problem has not received enough attention in toxicology.AIM OF THE STUDY. Conduct an analysis of VTEC in patients with acute chemical poisoning (AP).MATERIAL AND METHODS. The hospital patient records and pathological examination reports of 670 patients of the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine who died from VTEC in the period 2016–2022 were retrospectively analyzed. VTEC were confirmed by Doppler ultrasound during life or during pathological examination. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the IBM computer program SPSS Statistics 26.0.RESULTS. VTEC were diagnosed in 245 patients. The proportion of VTEC increased from 20.2 to 46.7% over the years, and in cases of VTEC caused by psychopharmacological drugs, they were registered in 48.8% of cases. VTEC occurred twice more often in people over 60 years of age and 1.3-fold more often in women. Deep vein thrombosis of the right lower limb was predominant in all types of poisoning, and the prevalence of the lesion was mainly local. Concomitant cardiovascular diseases, oncological diseases, diabetes mellitus, and the development of pneumonia increased the risk of VTEC. Pulmonary embolism was observed in more than a third of cases of VTEC in patients with VTEC caused by psychopharmacological drugs, corrosive substances, and hypotensive and antiarrhythmic drugs.CONCLUSIONS. The characteristics of venous thromboembolic complications in acute chemical poisoning in general is similar to the complications indicated that arise in other pathologies, but has some features caused by the effect of specific chemicals on the body.

Burden of chemical poisoning and contributing factors in the case of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the burden of chemical poisoning and its associated factors at the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) pilot surveillance sites in the Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia. The analysis of burdens and contributing factors is intended to inform targeted interventions and enhance public health strategies.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at TibebeGhionComprehensive Specialized Hospital(TGCSH) and FelegeHiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital(FHCSH) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia from June to November 2021. Data were collected using structured tools and analyzed with SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics assessed the burden of chemical poisoning, while Chi-square analysis identified significant factors associated with the burden of chemical poisoning.ResultsThe study reported a total of 184 chemical poisoning cases at TGCSH and FHCSH in the Amhara region, with a case fatality rate of 17%. The most affected age group was 16 to 25 years, and females accounted for 60% of the cases. Geographic distribution showed that Bahir Dar had the highest incidence, contributing to 64.7% of the cases, while the South Gondar zone, particularly the Fogera district, accounted for 30.88%. Organophosphates emerged as the most prevalent toxic agents, responsible for 53% of the cases. Chi-square analysis highlighted several significant associations with a higher burden of chemical poisoning, including being female (X² = 4.463, p = 0.035), being 35 years or younger (X² = 4.629, p = 0.031), ingestion of rodent poison (X² = 4.154, p = 0.042), intentional poisoning (X² = 7.488, p = 0.006), and inhalation exposure (X² = 4.154, p = 0.042) and educational level (X² = 5.764, p = 0.016).Conclusions and recommendationsThe study reveals a significant burden of chemical poisoning in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia, with a 17% fatality rate, predominantly impacting young adults and females, particularly in areas with high pesticide use, such as Bahir Dar and South Gondar. Key issues include cases with no antidotes, inhalation exposure, and intentional poisoning. Recommendations: Implement stricter chemical regulations, limit pesticide sales, enhance community education on safe handling, and improve mental health support for high-risk groups. Develop sustained CBRN surveillance systems and conduct further research on regional disparities and chemical agent assessments.

Assessment of Uranium Pollution in Ground Water and Human Health in Balod District, Chhattisgarh

A laser fluorimetric technique was used to measure the amount of uranium present in samples of groundwater from the Balod district, Chhattisgarh, central India. For this purpose, we collected twenty-nine water samples from different villages in the Balod district, Chhattisgarh from September 2022 to June 2023. Here, the concentration of uranium in the sample of water ranges from 0.10 to 66.7(µg/l). A maximum number of samples had uranium contamination levels below the acceptable limit (30 µg/l), except for Siwani village (66.7µg/l), as approved by the WHO. The USEPA recommendations were used to determine the chemical risk ( Non-carcinogenic) and excess lifetime carcinogenic risk (ECR) caused by groundwater consumption. The allowed excess lifetime cancer risk ( ELCR) value of 1.0´10-4was found to be exceeded in a few water samples by the risk of cancer resulting from drinking water. The LADD value of 18 % and HQ value of 24% of the water sample exceed the permissible limit indicating a high risk of chemical poisoning. In this analysis, we found that the area's uranium's chemical toxicity may be the cause of non-carcinogenic health problems, but eventually, there is no Carcinogenic (radiological) risk to people.

Medical and Social Characteristics of Toxicological Patients

Background: Acute poisoning of chemical etiology is currently a significant socio-economic and medical problem. It is a leading cause of high morbidity and premature mortality among the economically active population. Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the medical and social characteristics of toxicological patients. Methods: The study was conducted on 100 patients with acute chemical poisoning treated at the Specialized Toxicology Centre in Saint Petersburg. Data were collected by copying material from medical records and conducting a survey among patients. The data were then assessed using statistical methods. Results: In the studied group of toxicological patients, the majority (62.0%) were men. Age distribution showed that most patients (62.0%) were between 20 - 40 years old. More than half (55.0%) were unemployed, and only 25.0% were married. Analysis of the patient distribution by diagnosis showed that a large proportion (44.0%) had been poisoned with drugs, 26.0% with medications, 17.0% with ethanol, 11.0% with psychotropic drugs, and 2.0% with other substances. The main causes of poisoning were drug overdose (44.0%), self-medication (26.0%), and intoxication (21.0%). One-third of the patients (33.0%) had a concomitant viral infection. Additionally, 37.0% of patients consumed alcohol more than once a week, and half of the patients (50.0%) associated drinking alcohol with relaxation and pleasure. The largest proportion of patients (56.0%) did not engage in sports or other forms of physical activity at home. Conclusions: Analysis of the medical and social characteristics of toxicological patients indicates a need for public hygiene education measures to promote social competence and cultivate a negative attitude towards harmful factors affecting health.

Exploring the Landscape of Adult Acute Poisoning in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

This narrative review meticulously examines the intricate landscape of poisoning incidents within Saudi Arabia, delineating the prevalence and characteristics across three main categories: pharmaceutical, illicit, and chemical substances. Pharmaceutical agents, particularly analgesics and antipsychotics, are identified as leading causes of acute adult poisoning, highlighting the paramount role of their widespread accessibility and the potential risks associated with over-the-counter availability. The review underscores the alarming prevalence of over-the-counter analgesics, such as paracetamol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as the most frequent culprits in poisoning cases, with a significant correlation observed between analgesic poisoning and gender, notably affecting the female population. Additionally, the study delves into the burgeoning issue of illicit drug use, with opioids and amphetamines emerging as substantial contributors to the poisoning landscape, reflecting a broader global trend of increasing substance misuse and its associated health risks. Chemical poisoning, encompassing a range of substances from household cleaners to industrial chemicals, presents another critical area of concern, with specific emphasis on the dangers posed by antiseptics, detergents, and organophosphates. The review identifies a pressing need for targeted public health interventions and policy reforms aimed at mitigating the risks associated with these diverse types of poisoning. By offering a comprehensive overview of the poisoning epidemiology in Saudi Arabia, the study contributes valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of this public health challenge, advocating for enhanced regulatory measures, public awareness campaigns, and improved access to mental health services to address the underlying factors contributing to poisoning incidents.

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous CeZrVOx catalyst with remarkable NH3-SCR performance and SO2 tolerance: Key roles of the morphology and highly dispersed V species

Developing effective low-temperature deNOx catalysts with high activity, SO2 tolerance, and stability is crucial yet challenging. Thus, in this work, CeZrVOx catalyst with a three-dimensional ordered macroporous structure was successfully prepared using the PMMA hard template method, and the catalyst has a macropore diameter of up to 110−140 nm. The modification with highly dispersed V significantly enhances the low-temperature activity and broadens the activity temperature window of the catalyst. This is mainly attributed to the increased number of surface acid sites, as well as the higher proportion of Ce3+ and active surface oxygen species induced by V modification. The V species prepared by this method are highly dispersed on the CeZrOx solid solution and combine with Ce to form CeVO4, which is also an important factor in enhancing catalytic activity. The catalyst does not react with SO2 to produce inactive sulfate species; even the formed cerium sulfate species are beneficial for high-temperature performance. More importantly, due to its unique interconnected three-dimensional ordered structure, the catalyst can significantly inhibit the blockage and coverage of NH4HSO4 on the catalyst, thereby exhibiting remarkable resistance to physical poisoning caused by SO2. Even in high concentrations of sulfur-containing atmospheres, the catalyst still shows high catalytic activity. This work offers meaningful guidance into developing denitration catalysts that show superior performance and robust resistance to both physical and chemical poisoning induced by SO2.

Patterns of acute chemical poisoning cases registered with the Spanish Toxicovigilance System between 2015 and 2019

Patterns of acute chemical poisoning cases registered with the Spanish Toxicovigilance System between 2015 and 2019

Стойкость против питтинговой коррозии как критерий безопасности эксплуатации металлического оборудования

Pitting corrosion is hazardous for personnel of chemical plants operating with tanks, reactors, and pipelines. Pitting is a pinpointed corrosive damage rapidly penetrating a metal and causing its through-perforation. Chemical and thermal burns and poisoning of personnel are also potential. When designing the equipment, it is required to select materials able to resist pitting corrosion in the operational medium. Quick methods of pitting resistance of material include the comparison of critical potentials determined by potentiodynamic polarization curves. The potential of the studied sample is given a value equal to the corrosion value that is increased at the rate of 0.2–2 mV/s. At the same time, values of current density are registered. The gradual increase of current density is followed by its decrease, and the metal turns to a passive state. With a certain value of pitting formation potential, the current density increases acutely; and pittings are formed on the metal surface. When the potential is decreased, current density within a certain range of values remains relevant to the current density at the pitting formation potential but then decreases to the values relevant to dissolution in a passive state. This occurs at the re-passivation potential. Earlier, values of potentials of pitting formation and corrosion were compared. Later, it was proved that the evaluation of the pitting resistance of metals based on the comparison was not correct as pittings could also be formed at the potentials lower than the pitting formation potential. The correct evaluation of metal pitting resistance can be obtained based on the comparison of re-passivation and corrosion potentials. Until now, however, the pitting formation potential has been used for the evaluation. Based on the experimental potentiodynamic polarization curve of stainless steel Х20Н6Г11 and the results of corrosion tests, it has been established that metal corrodes at potentials above the re-passivation potential but lower than the pitting formation potential. When potentials are lower than the re-passivation potential, pittings are not formed.

Structure characterization of aged automobile exhaust catalysts using electron probe microanalysis

BackgroundDriven by emission regulations, the technology of emission control catalysts has been under increasing need for development. Understanding the deactivation mechanism of aged or spent automobile exhaust catalysts is the key to extending their service lifetime. However, the lack of comprehensive microstructural characterization results in an incomplete understanding of their physicochemical properties. Deactivation mechanism of automobile exhaust catalysts is a considerably complex phenomenon, it can be classified into three groups based on its origin: thermal sintering, chemical poisoning and mechanical deactivation. ResultsIn this study, an aged high-mileage automobile exhaust catalyst with Pd and Rh active phases supported on a cerium zirconium oxide doped alumina coating on cordierite was analysed; six consecutive monolithic blocks along the inlet to the outlet of the aged catalyst were extracted, and the corresponding metallographic samples were fabricated using the vacuum impregnation resin method. The purpose of this study was to accurately characterize the different regions of the monolith via electron probe microanalysis and to infer potential causes of catalyst deactivation. Two major causes of deactivation were found: (1) aggregation and alloying of precious-metal particles caused by thermal sintering and (2) chemical poisoning caused by sulphur and phosphorus. Other mechanisms, such as mechanical degradation, which mainly manifests as the loss or wear of the washed coating, were also found to be involved in deactivation. Additionally, the catalytic activity tests showed a considerable decrease in the aged catalyst. The poison concentration trends in the washcoat indicated that P is detrimental to CO oxidation, while S accumulation affects propane oxidation. SignificanceThis analysis method can be of substantial practical significance in developing advanced washcoat materials. Meanwhile, it has great potential in the washcoat analysis of honeycomb-shaped monolithic catalyst, such as natural gas catalyst, diesel vehicle oxidation catalyst and other honeycomb catalysts applied in chemical industry.

General impurity gas blanket effect mechanism and elimination strategies for hydrogen storage materials

Hydrogen energy has attracted considerable attention as the promising alternative to fossil energy. However, pollutants in H2 inevitably affect the hydrogenation kinetics of hydrogen storage materials (HSMs). In this work, the general physical blanket effect mechanism of impurity gases (He/Ar/CH4/N2/CO2/NO2) on the hydrogenation kinetics is extracted and confirmed to be a single physical process unrelated to HSMs for the first time. Specifically, the selective absorption of H2 by HSMs induces the local enrichment of impurity gases and impede H2 diffusion physically. For example, ZrCo can achieve its theoretical capacity (2.0 wt% H2) in 1.2 bar pure H2 within 40 s, while only 0.46 wt% H2 could be absorbed in 1.2 bar 3 mol% CH4 + 97 mol% H2 mixed gas even after 0.4 h. Such blanket effect may interlace with chemical surface poisoning effect and bring variability on hydrogenation kinetics. Notably, among the investigated impurity gases, He/Ar/N2/CH4 are absolute inactive gases which cannot impede hydrogenation, thus excluding the chemical surface poisoning effect originated from active gases. This allows the precise extraction of intrinsic physical blanket effect quantitatively, instructing comprehensive strategies to promote the fast hydrogenation saturation for HSMs. In summary, optimizing engineering parameters including dynamical hydrogenation operation provides an effective approach to remarkably promote hydrogen absorption kinetics of HSMs.

Metal-free β zeolite used as an efficient NH3-SCR catalyst can achieve complete immunity to SO2: Unique design strategy of sulfur-resistant catalyst

Sulfur oxides present in flue gas can deactivate metal oxide catalysts or metal cation exchange zeolite catalysts used in NH3-SCR, as the deposition of (NH4)2SO4/NH4HSO4 and metal sulfate can obstruct and damage active sites, respectively. The physical poisoning of the (NH4)2SO4/NH4HSO4 deposition can be prevented by selecting an appropriate reaction temperature range (reversible), while chemical poisoning caused by the sulfation of active sites is challenging to avoid and can permanently deactivate the catalyst (irreversible). This research addresses the issue of irreversible catalyst deactivation resulting from sulfur poisoning by employing metal-free β zeolite without redox sites, which effectively prevents redox site sulfation at its source and shields the catalyst from physical poisoning by operating at moderate to high temperatures. This metal-free β zeolite with an appropriate pore structure exhibited exceptional deNOx activity, N2 selectivity, stability, and sulfur resistance at 300 °C. The NO oxidation experiment and DFT analysis demonstrated that the specific pore structure of β zeolite functioned as a sub-nano reactor, facilitating the oxidation of NO to NO2, thereby triggering the subsequent series catalytic reaction of “fast” SCR. Even in an atmosphere with a high concentration of 300 ppm SO2, the β zeolite catalyst maintained over 80 % NOx conversion after 130 h. The slight reduction in activity was attributable to the inhibitory influence of SO2 on the collision reaction between NO and O2; however, SO2 did not have any poisonous impact on the catalyst. The unique design strategy found in present work provides valuable insights for the sulfur resistance of metal-free zeolites used in NH3-SCR process, and provides a new idea for the design of completely sulfur-resistant catalysts.

Household accidents treatment training: A community service at ‘Aisyiyah Ranting Nogotirto

Abstract. Household accidents are a kind of accident that occurs at home, which is still becoming a worldwide health issue. Falls, electrical dangers, fires/burns, tripping hazards, slips, chemical poisoning, and choking hazards are the most common causes of these accidents. Unfortunately, awareness of prevention and first aid for victims is still low due to the lack of information that the community obtains. Therefore, the purpose of this community service was to increase the community's knowledge of handling household accidents. The activity was carried out through socialization with pre-test and post-test. The participants were 24 members of a woman group ‘Aisyiyah Ranting Nogotirto on March 15, 2023. The average score from the pre-test was 65.4, and the post-test was 81.25. Thus, this community service through socialization and demonstration can increase the community's knowledge.

Практичні аспекти застосування парентеральної озонотерапії у лікуванні різних контингентів хворих

In Ukraine, parenteral ozone therapy has been successfully used for many years in the treatment of injuries, poisonings, infectious and non-infectious diseases. Clinical evaluation of the effectiveness of ozone therapy is carried out by doctors based on various approaches and using a wide range of biomarkers. Aim. Analysis of the results of the practical use of parenteral ozone therapy and determination of parameters of its clinical effectiveness in the treatment of patients in the intensive care unit. Materials and Methods. Summarized results of treatment of 144 patients with poisoning, injuries, infectious and somatic diseases, aged 18–72 years, women ‒ 84 (58.3%), men ‒ 60 (41.7%), who underwent a course of parenteral ozone therapy in 2017-2021 in the CNE Kyiv City Clinical Hospital of Emergency Medical Care and ozone therapy rooms of private clinics. Parenteral ozonation of blood was carried out with the help of devices of the "Bozon-N-plus" series following the methodology approved by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine ("Methods of ozone therapy", 2001). The methods of systematic, comparative and statistical analysis were used. Results. All patients were divided into 5 clinical groups based on the nature of their disease: the first group ‒ patients with acute poisoning by substances of suffocating hemotoxic effect; the second group ‒ patients with acute infectious diseases; the third group ‒ patients with chronic non-infectious diseases; the fourth group ‒ patients with purulent wounds; the fifth group ‒ patients with drug addiction. Criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of ozone therapy were used for each clinical group. A total of 1423 medical procedures using ozone were performed. The average course of treatment consisted of 3 to 10 procedures. Among them, 313 procedures of intravenous infusion of ozonated physiological solution (200 ml, ozone dose ‒ 0.48 mg, procedures were performed daily or every other day) were performed. 1110 procedures of intravenous infusion of ozonated autologous blood (200 or ‒ 400 ml of autologous blood, ozone dose ‒ 1.8 or 3.6 mg) were performed. The beginning of the course of autohemotherapy was preceded by a session of intravenous administration of ozonated physiological solution (the first procedure), after which the course of autohemotherapy began, with a frequency of 2-3 times a week. Conclusions. The clinical effectiveness of ozone therapy has been confirmed through a complex dynamic assessment of the patient's condition, which involves the use of subjective assessments (well-being, mood, duration of sleep, severity of pain syndrome, etc.) and objective parameters of the patient (clinical, functional, laboratory indicators, specific biomarkers). Keywords: chemical poisoning, ozone therapy, blood ozonation.

Структура острых отравлений химической этиологии в мегаполисе на фоне пандемии COVID-19 в 2020–2021 гг.

The spread of COVID-19 in Russia has led to restrictive measures. The stress associated therewith had a noticeable psychoemotional effect on the population, which could not but affect the numbers and patterns of acute chemical poisonings (ACP). This study aimed to investigate the patterns of ACP in Moscow in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed data describing cases admitted with ACP to N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine in 2019–2021, factoring in the dynamics COVID-19 prevalence as diagnosed with RT-PCR tests. The results of the analysis were processed using nonparametric methods and GraphPad Prism 9 software. Within the considered period, 2020 was the peak year. The number of acute poisonings (AP) with ethanol and its surrogates in 2020 was 109.7% greater than in 2019 (both sexes; the figure for women alone was 286.2%). Male patients suffered AP with drugs and corrosive substances more often than female (p < 0.0001). The number of drug abuse cases in 2019–2021 varied slightly, increasing by 2.4 and 6.7% annually. Synthetic narcotic substances were most common: methadone, cathinones, psychostimulants, and mixtures of substances. We discovered parallel trends in dynamics of ethanol intoxication and COVID-19 cases, and no such between drug poisonings and the said morbidity. Thus, the identified specifics of ACP patterns in the capital of Russia associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are a spike in alcohol abuse (especially among women), and lack of noticeable effect of the disease on use of drugs.

The Role of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the Complex Treatment of Acute Chemical Poisoning

Aim of study. Analysis of literature data on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in acute chemical poisoning.Material and methods. The search for domestic publications was carried out in the Elibrary database, foreign publications — in the MEDLINE / PubMed, Google Scholar databases for the period of 2010–2023. The terms used as a search query were according to the official MeSH terms: “Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation” OR “Membrane Oxygenation, Extracorporeal” OR “ECMO Treatment” AND “poisoning”.Results. This review provides information on the outcomes of the use of veno-arterial and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for refractory cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest and severe ARDS in acute chemical poisoning.Conclusion. Data analysis showed that in patients with acute chemical poisoning, the incidence of complications and mortality was lower when ECMO/ECMOCPR was included in the complex therapy compared with patients in whom other reasons (not related to acute poisoning) served as indications for the use of this technique. This is probably due to the fact that patients in the group with acute poisoning are younger, they have fewer concomitant diseases; and ECMO is required, as a rule, for a shorter period of time before the toxicant is eliminated from the body using the methods of their elimination and restoration of disturbed functions.

Acute Chemical Poisoning in an Industrial City: Current Situation, Dynamics and Forecast

Introduction: The urgency of the problem of acute chemical poisoning is attributed to the fact that it is the cause of poor health, disability and premature death of the population, as well as a significant medical and socio-economic damage. Objective: To conduct a retrospective and prospective epidemiological study of acute chemical poisoning based on the results of toxicological monitoring in the city of Taganrog for 2008–2022. Materials and methods: We carried out a comprehensive analysis of statistical reporting forms and a personalized database of 2,466 cases of acute chemical poisoning registered in the city of Taganrog, Rostov Region, in 2008–2022. To do this, we used software of our own design and professional software packages IBM SPSS Statistics version 19.0 and Matlab R2021a with a set of tools for synthesizing and analyzing neural networks Neural Network Toolbox. Results: Over the 15-year period under study, trends towards a decrease in the rates of acute chemical poisoning, mortality and lethality had formed, as confirmed by a favorable assessment of the situation based on regional criteria and actual risk indicators. Alcohol surrogates, pharmaceutical drugs, and carbon monoxide remain the priority etiological causes of poisoning. Relatively high rates were observed among children aged 0–6 not attending preschools and schoolchildren aged 7–17, as well as among the unemployed and pensioners, which allowed us to attribute them to risk groups. High accuracy of forecasts generated using artificial neural networks has been confirmed. Conclusion: The results of toxicological monitoring are the basis for assessing the situation and optimizing toxicological care, both necessary for managerial decision-making and elaboration of targeted chemical safety programs.

Analysis on morbidity characteristics of occupational diseases in Taian City from 2006 to 2021

Objective: To analyze the morbidity characteristics of new occupational diseases in Taian City from 2006 to 2021 and provide scientific evidence for local prevention and treatment of occupational diseases. Methods: In March 2022, the data of newly diagnosed occupational diseases in Taian City from 2006 to 2021 were obtained from Information Monitoring System for Occupational Diseases and Health Hazards. A descriptive analysis was performed for the distribution of onset age, working years, types of occupational diseases, region, industries, enterprise scale, enterprise economic type and the epidemic trend of occupational diseases. Results: 1362 cases of occupational diseases in 29 species of 9 categories were reported in Taian City from 2006 to 2021, including 1311 males and 51 females. The M (P(25), P(75)) of onset age and working age were 53 (47, 64) and 24.08 (16.56, 29.25) respectively. The top three categories of occupational diseases were occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases (1128 cases, 82.82%), occupational otolaryngology and oral diseases (107 cases, 7.86%), and occupational chemical poisoning (70 cases, 5.14%) in sequence. Coal worker's pneumoconiosis, noise deafness, silicosis, poisoning of manganese and its compounds and cataract were the top five species of occupational diseases, which accounted for 69.60% (948/1362), 7.64% (104/1362), 5.58% (76/1362), 3.38% (46/1362) and 2.94% (40/1362) of the total cases of occupational diseases.There were significant differences among the composition of occupational diseases categories reported annually (P<0.001), but the number of occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases was the highest on each year. The number of occupational diseases showed a decreasing trend with the year, and the optimal fitting curve was an growth curve. The number of newly diagnosed occupational diseases was predicted to be 172 cases from 2022 to 2026. Occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases was the main disease in 6 counties. The occupational diseases cases were mainly distributed in Feicheng County and Xintai County, with 520 cases and 504 cases respectively, accounting for 75.18% of occupational diseases cases. The coal mining and washing industry had the largest number of occupational diseases cases, accounting for 73.05% of all occupational diseases cases. 91.85% of occupational diseases cases came from large and medium-sized enterprises. The economic type of enterprises with the most occupational diseases was state-owned enterprises, accounting for 74.52% of occupational diseases cases. Conclusion: The predominant occupational diseases in Taian City are occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases, occupational otolaryngology and oral diseases, occupational chemical poisoning. And the prevention and control of occupational diseases should be strengthened in key industries such as coal mining and washing industry, key enterprises such as state-owned large and medium-sized enterprises.