Incidence Of Acute Poisoning Research Articles

Epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and toxicological profile of acute intoxications: A monocentric retrospective study

Objectives. Acute poisonings remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally, posing a major public health challenge. In Algeria, data on the profile of acute poisonings are limited. The objective of this study, conducted at the University Hospital of Setif, was to provide an epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and toxicological overview of acute poisonings in this country. Results. This retrospective study, covering the period from the last quarter of 2016 to April 30, 2018, included 406 cases. The results showed a sex ratio of 1.41 with a female predominance. The intoxicated patients had a mean age of 24.74 years, with the most affected age group being between 19 and 29 years (28%). Poisonings were mainly accidental (57%), with 18% of cases involving intentional poisonings, more common among men. Medication poisonings were the most common (54%), followed by carbon monoxide poisonings (37%). Carbon monoxide poisonings were exclusively accidental, while medication poisonings were intentional in 27% of cases. Cosmetics, household products, and carbon monoxide were more often implicated in cases involving females. An incidence peak was observed in winter. The average time between poisoning and hospitalization was 15 hours and 24 minutes. Symptomatic treatment alone or combined with evacuation or detoxification treatment was used in 8.9%, 2%, and 0.2% of cases, respectively. About one-third of patients received specific management, with antidote administration only for carbon monoxide poisonings. Conclusion. The results underscore the importance of public awareness regarding the dangers of poisonings, reducing access to toxic products, and providing healthcare professionals with training to improve therapeutic management and reduce the incidence of acute poisonings.

Current status and progress of detection methods for common clinical toxicants

With the progress of science and technology and the development of society, more and more chemical substances have been discovered and countless chemicals have been artificially synthesized, and the risk of exposure to some toxic chemicals by human beings has been greatly increased, resulting in the increasing incidence of acute poisoning, which has seriously endangered the public's physical health and life safety. As the poisoned patients are unconscious or refuse treatment when they are admitted to the hospital, it is difficult to understand the drug exposure history by asking the medical history, so the toxicity detection has become the key to the clinical diagnosis and treatment, and this paper briefly introduces some common toxicity detection methods in the clinic in the hope that it will bring help to the clinical doctors.

Acute Poisoning Among Children Admitted to Alexandria Poison Center, Egypt: Patterns and Predisposing Factors.

Acute poisoning in children is a major public health problem worldwide. Children poisoning ranksamong the top unintentional injuries in children aged less than four years. This paper aimed to describe the pattern and characteristics of acute poisoning incidents, estimate the percentage of medication poisoning among those children and highlight the possible risk factors. All children aged below 10 years admitted to Alexandria Poison Centre (APC) with acute poisoning from the July1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, were included in the study. A pre-designed structured interviewing questionnaire was used to collect data: socio-demographic data of the poisoned child and his/her caregiver, medical history of the poisoned child and family members, history of previous poisoning incidents in the family, details of the poisoning incident including causative agent, route of poisoning, scene of poisoning, time interval to reach APC and the first aid done. 350 children admitted to APC were included in our study, of which 59% (n=208) of poisoned children were males with mean age 3.14 ± 2.28years. The types of poisoning found were 46.6% chemical compounds, 31.4% medication, 18% household and 4% food poisoning. Most of the children were poisoned orally. High education of caregiver, urban residence and the presence of chronic disease within a family member were significantly associated with medication poisoning while low education of caregiver, drug addiction, having chronic disease among a family member and the presence of previous poisoning accident in the family were significantly associated with poisoning with chemical compounds. The study found that acute poisoning is more common among young male children in Alexandria; the chemical compounds came first as the main source of poisoning followed by the medication poisoning.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and associated cost of acute poisoning: a retrospective study.

Poisoning is a major public health issue and a leading cause of admission to the emergency department (ED). There is a paucity of data describing the epidemiology and cost of acute poisoning. Therefore, this study investigated the epidemiology, patterns, and associated costs of acute poisoning in emergency department of the largest tertiary care healthcare centre in Qatar. This study was a retrospective review of the health records of patients admitted to the ED due to poisoning between January 2015 and December 2019. Incidence, clinical characteristics, and costs associated with acute poisoning were assessed. Frequency and percentages were calculated for categorical variables and mean and SD for continuous variables. The relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and poisoning profile was assessed using the chi-square test. A micro-costing approach using the cost of each resource was applied for cost calculations. The incidence of acute poisoning was 178 cases per 100,000 patients. Females (56%) and children below 14 years (44.3%) accounted for the largest proportion. Most of the exposures were accidental involving therapeutic agents (64.2%). The mean length of hospital stay was found to be 1.84 ± 0.81 days, and most patients (76.6%) were discharged within the first 8 h. A statistically significant difference was found between age groups and type of toxin (χ2 = 23.3, p < 0.001), cause and route of exposure (χ2 = 42.2, p < 0.001), and length of hospital stay (χ2 = 113.16, p < 0.001). Admission to intensive care units had the highest cost expenditure (USD 326,008), while general wards accounted for the least (USD 57,709). Unintentional poisoning by pharmacological agents is common in infants and children. This study will assist in the development of educational and preventive programmes to minimise exposure to toxic agents. Further studies are required to explore the impact of medical toxicology services, and post discharge monitoring of poisoning.

Trends and profiles of acute poisoning cases: a retrospective analysis.

Acute poisoning is a significant public health concern. This retrospective study investigates trends in acute poisoning cases and explores the clinical and sociodemographic profiles associated with this condition. Medical data from 859 hospitalized patients diagnosed with acute poisoning between January 2017 and December 2022 were comprehensively analyzed. The descriptive statistical analysis revealed that 360 patients had underlying diseases, with depression being the most prevalent among them. Furthermore, urban areas accounted for 87.2% of the acute poisoning cases, indicating a higher incidence compared to rural areas. The substances implicated in acute poisoning incidents varied, with drugs of abuse being the most common (53.2%), followed by pesticides (22.2%), carbon monoxide (11.8%), and alcohol (5.4%). Suicide attempt/suicide emerged as the leading cause of acute poisoning incidents, accounting for 75.9% of cases, while poisoning accidents predominantly occurred within the home setting. Through chi-square tests, it was determined that risk factors for suicide attempt/suicide included female gender and underlying medical conditions. Temporal analysis showed that the total number of acute poisoning cases increased from 2017 to 2019 and decreased from 2019 to 2022. Notably, suicide-related cases exhibited an upward trend, with suicide attempt/suicide accounting for over 80% of all acute poisoning cases after 2020. This study contributes valuable insights into the trends, profiles, and risk factors associated with acute poisoning cases.

The 2022 Annual Report on Toxicology Surveillance and Severe Poisoning Cases at Emergency Departments in Korea

Purpose: This study investigated the actual incidence of acute poisoning in Korea on a nationwide scale, with the aim of laying the groundwork for future initiatives in prevention, strategic antidote distribution, and the development of effective emergency treatment for acute poisoning.Methods: The study analyzed data from 3,038 patients who presented to emergency departments with poisoning-related conditions from June 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 at 10 sites in nine cities across the country. We extracted data on general characteristics of the poisoning cases, including demographic characteristics (age and gender), place of exposure, reason for poisoning, route of exposure, and the substance involved in the poisoning incident. Age-related patterns in reasons for poisoning, medical outcomes, frequent and primary poisoning substances, and deaths were also analyzed.Results: The population analyzed in our study was predominantly female, with women constituting 54.74% of all cases. Among infants and children, non-intentional poisoning due to general accidents was the most common cause, accounting for 71.43% of cases. Conversely, suicidal poisoning was more prevalent among teenagers and adults over 20. Fifty-two patients died during the study period, with males comprising approximately two-thirds (67.31%) of these fatalities. Pesticides were the most common poisoning substance among those who died, accounting for 55.77% of such cases. Notably, a significant majority of the victims were elderly individuals aged 60 and above.Conclusion: This study holds substantial significance, since it represents the first comprehensive investigation and analysis of the symptoms, treatment, and causes of death due to poisoning in Korea on a national scale. By substantially expanding the range and types of poisonous substances examined, we were able to more precisely identify the characteristics and clinical patterns of poisoning cases nationwide.

A Study on Profile of Poisoning Cases in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Karaikal

Background: Acute poisoning is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with 90% of the burden of fatal poisoning cases from developing countries. The pattern of poisoning in any region depends on a variety of factors such as availability of poisons, socio-economic status of the population, religious beliefs, and cultural influences. The data regarding poisoning cases in south India is scarce. Hence, the present study was carried out. materials and methods: This was a hospital-based, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted for a period of one year, from January 2021 to December 2021. results: Out of 152 cases, the majority were males (63.16%) and from rural areas (83.55%). The most common age group involved was between 21 to 30 years (41.45%). Suicidal poisoning was common (57.74%) followed by Accidental poisoning (34.21%), while none of them were homicidal in nature. Organophosphorus compounds, Household products, and Rodenticides were the most commonly used poisons. conclusion: The present study concludes that acute poisoning is a distressing public health problem. It affects the larger number of the male population. The commonest poisoning agent was the Organophosphorus compound. The occurrence was high among married males and in the age group of 21 – 30 years. The incidence of acute poisoning, morbidity, and mortality related to the poisoning can be diminished by developing and implementing of appropriate preventive strategies.

A Study on the Profile of Poisoning in the Paediatric Population in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital of Chitradurga Region.

Background Most poisoning events among children are preventable and the major reason is lack of supervision by adults, including poor knowledge and attitude toward storage of such items. So, the prevention policy on children's poisoning shall take into account the age group, gender, socioeconomic status, residence, and other aspects such as the knowledge and attitude of adults. The present study was conducted to describe the profile of poisoning in the paediatric population in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods Our observational study was retrospective and was conducted at Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital (BMCH), Chitradurga, Karnataka, under the Department of Forensic Medicine for a duration of three months (February 2021 to April 2021). Institutional ethical approval was obtained prior to the start of the study. As our study participants were paediatric patients (0-17 years) with acute poisoning (excluding homeopathic drug ingestion), a total of 81 paediatric patients' case sheets were finally reviewed and analysed.The data of paediatric poisoning cases were collected in a predesigned study proforma andincluded details about children's age (in years), gender (male, female), residence (rural, urban), outcome (death, discharge), nature of poisoning (accidental, suicidal), and toxic agents in poisoning. The collected data were entered and analysed in the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA). Results The incidence of acute poisoning among the paediatric population in our teaching hospital was 1.4%. The most common age group with acute poisoning was 13-17 years (30.9%). The prevalence of acute poisoning was higher in male children (56.8%) when compared to female children (43.2%). Around three-fourths of paediatric cases (71.6%) with acute poisoning were having a rural residence. The overall mortality rate among children due to acute poisoning was 9.9%. The most common toxic agents involved in acute poisoning among children were organophosphatecompounds (35.8%), followed by organochlorine compounds (30.9%) and pyrethrum compounds (11.1%). Conclusion From this study, we concluded that acute poisoning among children is mainly accidental, and the most common toxic agentresponsible for the poisoning is pesticideor insecticide. Most poisoning events among children are preventable, and the major reason is a lack of supervision by adults, including poor knowledge and attitude toward storage of such items.

Acute poisonings of chemical etiology in children and legal responsibility of parents

Introduction. Acute chemical trauma in children is a problem of current interest in clinical toxicology. An analysis of the number of acute poisonings in the territory and the reasons for the development of poisoning makes it possible to identify socially significant nosological forms of the disease, determine the directions of preventive measures and increase the legal responsibility of parents. Materials and methods. The analysis of the dynamics of acute poisoning in children (4471 patients, aged 1 to 17 years) in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra for the period 2008-2017 was carried out based on the materials of the annual sectoral statistical reporting - the report of the Health Department of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Ugra (Appendix No. 6 Form No. 64, order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated January 8, 2002 No. 9). Results. Analysis of the incidence of acute poisoning in children (2008-2017) in the district showed the prevalence of acute chemical injury in children, which does not exceed 37.0 per 100 thousand population, with the highest incidence in groups T51 (614), T40 (401) and T54 (270). In preventive measures, one of the directions is to increase the knowledge of the legal responsibility of parents, the children’s understanding of the dangers of chemicals and the organization of targeted training for parents in first aid programs. Conclusion. The analysis of acute chemical trauma in children in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra identified socially significant groups of acute poisoning (T51, T40, T54). Preventive measures aimed at reducing the number of poisonings should be of an interdepartmental nature. The organization of targeted training for parents in first aid programs contributes to the choice of their tactics in case of suspicion of a chemical substance entering the child’s body and the timely provision of medical care.

A Three-Year Study on Acute Poisoning Cases Brought for Medico-Legal Autopsy in a North-Eastern City of India.

PurposeDeath due to acute poisoning is one of the significant health challenges to cope-up. It is imperative to know the death victims’ pattern due to acute poisoning to prepare the relevant preventive and remedial measures. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the pattern of the dead victims of acute poisoning in a tertiary care centre.Materials and MethodsIt is a hospital record-based study and conducted in a tertiary care centre. Descriptive statistics to study the distribution of the cases among different age groups, sex, type of poison compounds was computed and analysed using SPSS software version 20.ResultsThe present study detected poisonous substances in 244 (41.8%) cases out of 584 death cases of suspected acute poisoning with the male preponderance of 62.29%. A higher incidence of acute poisoning was noticed among the young age group 21–30 years (33.6%) with 48 (31.6%) cases among males and 34 (36.9%) cases of the female. The Organophosphates (OP) was the main compound found in 151 (61.9%) fatal cases, followed by Carbamate in 45 (18.4%) cases. We also observed a maximum, 76 (36.2%) cases of suicidal victims in the age group of 21–30 years. Children and lower age group were more vulnerable to accidental poisoning as 26.5% cases of accidental death were reported in both the age group of 0–10 and 11–20 years respectively, gradually declining and practically found nil in above 60 years group. These differences of frequencies were found statistically significant (p < 0.0001), χ2 = 55.1.ConclusionThe results suggest due consideration to the young adolescents’ groups without any sexual discrimination to define guidelines for appropriate handling, storage and transportation of the poisonous compounds. Organophosphate’s involvement as the most preferred agent in acute poisoning is to be remembered to help manage poisoning cases.

Epidemiology of acute poisoning by substances of abuse in the Emergency Department. Descriptive study in District IV of Asturias.

The incidence of acute poisonings has increased in recent years and constitutes approximately 2% of the services provided by the Emergency Department currently. The objective of this study is to describe the frequency and characteristics of the intoxications treated at the Central University Hospital of Asturias during 2015 from biochemical-analytical, epidemiological and medical-legal perspectives. We conducted a retrospective study and a descriptive analysis of the clinical and sociodemographic variables included in the acute intoxication (AI) protocol at the national level. This hospital treated 2,478cases of acute poisoning, representing 2.3% of the emergencies treated and corresponding to an incidence of 764 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year with an age ranging from under 1 year to over 80 years. Theaverage age of the patients was 43.6 (SD = 16.6) years. Of these patients, 59.4% were males with an average age of 44 (SD = 16.8) years, and women represented 43.1% with an average age of 42.8 (SD = 16.5) years. These intoxications have a frequency of 47.2% during the weekend, while 37.4% occur between June and September. Acute voluntary intoxication is the most frequent intentionality, corresponding to 83.2% of the cases. We must point out that the medical records register 16.8% of the cases as suicide attempts. Ethanol and benzodiazepines are the most commonly-used toxics. These intoxications are treated in the Emergency Department without requiring hospitalization and have a very low mortality rate.

Retrospective Study of Acute Pediatric Intoxication Cases by Household Products Presented to the Poison Control Center of Ain-Shams University Hospitals

Background: Acute poisoning in children is a crucial pediatric emergency and may be a worldwide problem.This study aims to acknowledge the incidence of acute poisoning by household products in children regardingdemographic factors, common clinical presentation and outcome of management.Methods: this is often a descriptive retrospective study conducted on patients admitted to the Poison ControlCentre of Ain-Shams University Hospital. The duration of the study was one year, from the beginning ofJanuary, 2016 till the top of December, 2016. the entire number of cases was 846 cases collected and analyzedregarding the demographic data, condition of poisoning, common clinical presentation, and managementplan. Data was analyzed using computer software package SPSS 15.Results: a complete of 846 cases were reviewed, the varied age groups involved ranged from but one year to18 years, with a mean age of 10.22 ± 6.83 years. Most cases were females (67 %), living in urban areas (52.4%) and therefore the majority of cases were accidental (74 %). the foremost common offending agent waspesticides (71%). Most of the patients were vitally stable on admission and therefore the commonest clinicalpresentation was gastrointestinal symptoms (31.3%). Most of cases received medical treatment within theinpatient wards (80.5%) and (96.7%) improved while (3.3 %) died.Conclusions: Acute poisoning by household products is common among adolescents and pre-school agechildren. Pesticides were liable for the bulk of cases. Supportive and symptomatic therapy is that the mainmethod for treatment.

Analysis of 1 364 cases of acute poisoning in tropical areas of Yunnan

Objective To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of acute poisoning events in the tropical regions of Yunnan Province, we provide evidence for prevention and control measures. Methods A three-level general hospital in typical tropical area of Yunnan Province was selected as the research object. All the cases of acute poisoning during 2013.01.01 to 2018.12.31 were retrieved from the information system to analyze the characteristics of population, the type of poisoning, the season of poisoning event and treatment effect. Results A total of 1 364 cases of acute poisoning were collected during the 6 years. Acute poisoning occurred in all age groups, and 20 to 50 age groups accounted for 60.19% of all cases. On poisoning substances, agricultural chemicals, drugs, herbal medicines and plant poisoning accounted for 48.39%, 16.72% and 11.80% respectively. Among them, paraquat, organophosphorus pesticide, wild mushroom, aconitine and rodenticide were 244, 189, 96, 90, 89 cases respectively, which took the top 5. A wide range of tropical poisonous plants that caused acute poisoning. Almost all the wild mushroom poisoning cases and 57.26% of all the poisoning cases occurred in the rainy season. Also, much more cases of agricultural chemicals poisoning occurred in rainy season than the dry season. In terms of therapeutic effect, the treatment effect of paraquat was proven to be poor, for the death and unhealed cases got to 44.90% when discharge. The mortality rate of organophosphorus pesticides was also as high as 8.47%. Conclusion The incidence of acute poisoning in tropical areas of Yunnan Province is still high, especially caused by agricultural chemicals, wild mushroom, herbal medicines and poisonous plants. It is necessary to strengthen publicity and improve the emergency response system, in order to effectively reduce the occurrence and harm of acute poisoning accidents. 摘要：目的 探讨云南省热带地区急性中毒事件的发生规律和特点,为制定预防和控制措施提供依据。 方法 以 云南省的热带地区某三级综合医院为对象, 从该医院信息系统中调取 2013 年 1 月 1 日—2018 年 12 月 31 日出院的急性 中毒病例数据, 对中毒人群、中毒类型、中毒发生的季节及治疗效果等进行分析。 结果 该院 6 年期间共收治急性中毒 1 364 例, 各年龄段均有发生, 其中 20~<50 岁占总病例的 60.19%。导致中毒的物质中, 农药、化学药物、草药及植物性中 毒分别占总量的 48.39%、16.72% 和 11.80%, 其中百草枯、有机磷农药、野生菌、乌头碱、杀鼠剂分别为 244 例、189 例、96 例、90 例、89 例, 居前 5 位。导致中毒的热带毒性植物品类繁多。中毒病例发生在雨季的占总量的 57.26%, 其中野生菌 中毒几乎全部发生在雨季, 农药中毒雨季也显著高于旱季。治疗效果上, 百草枯治疗效果差, 出院时死亡和未愈病例 占 44.90%, 有机磷农药死亡率也高达 8.47%。 结论 云南省热带地区急性中毒发生率高, 其中农药类、野生菌、有毒植 物中毒问题突出。应加强宣传, 提高对急性中毒的关注, 完善应急处理体系,以期有效地降低急性中毒事件的发生及 危害。

The investigation of honey bee pesticide poisoning incidents in Czechia

Honey bees are major pollinators of crops with high economic value. Thus, bees are considered to be the most important nontarget organisms exposed to adverse effects of plant protection product use. The side effects of pesticides are one of the major factors often linked to colony losses. Fewer studies have researched acute poisoning incidents in comparison to the study of the sublethal effects of pesticides. Here, we compared pesticides in dead/dying bees from suspected poisoning incidents and the suspected crop source according to government protocols. Additionally, we analyzed live bees and bee bread collected from the brood comb to determine recent in-hive contamination. We used sites with no reports of poisoning for reference. Our analysis confirmed that not all of the suspected poisonings correlated with the suspected crop. The most important pesticides related to the poisoning incidents were highly toxic chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin, cypermethrin and imidacloprid and slightly toxic prochloraz and thiacloprid. Importantly, poisoning was associated with pesticide cocktail application. Almost all poisoning incidents were investigated in relation to rapeseed. Some sites were found to be heavily contaminated with several pesticides, including a reference site. However, other sites were moderately contaminated despite agricultural use, including rapeseed cultivation sites, which can influence the extent of pesticide use, including tank mixes and other factors. We suggest that the analysis of pesticides in bee bread and in bees from the brood comb is a useful addition to dead bee and suspected crop analysis in poisoning incidents to inform the extent of recent in-hive contamination.

The Scenario of Acute Poisoning in Jashore, Bangladesh.

Background Acute poisoning is a common scenario in the emergency department of any general hospital globally, but its pattern may vary in different parts of the world and even may be a different regional variation in the same country. Objective Our recent study aims to assess the demographic characteristics, psychological aspect, pattern, and treatment outcome in different acute poisoning. Method The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the medicine department of Jashore Medical College and Hospital from 1st January to 30th June 2018, which recruited 487 eligible cases of admitted acute poisoning patients. Results The study reveals that the total incidence of acute poisoning in Jashore, Bangladesh, is 17.1 per 100,000 populations over a 6-month period. The mean age of our study population was 27 ± 11 (SD) years with having significant female preponderance in acute poisoning (female: 253/52% and male: 234/48%; p = 0.002). Female subjects were significantly younger than male (p <0.001). Moreover, the total suicidal intension of acute poisoning in our study was 97.3%, whereas the female subjects were more committed to suicidal attempts (p = 0.027). Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) were the significant leading agents (66.1%, p = 0.029) of acute poisoning, and even, it had been significantly used as suicidal intention of poisoning substance (65.1%, p <0.001) in our observation. Muslim (97.5%, p = 0.005), 10–29 year age group (68.0%, p = 0.002), rural (99.2%), unmarried (51.3%), middle class (50.1%), students (48.9%), and secondary educational background population (76.4%) were more victimized of acute poisoning. Among different factors, familial disharmony constituted of 56.1% cases of suicidal attempt in acute poisoning. Finally, we had observed that the death incidence by acute poisoning in Jashore, Bangladesh, was 1.9 per 100,000 population over a 6-month period. Conclusion The recent study reveals that there is high incidence of acute poisoning in Jashore, Bangladesh, with a significant amount of death toll. Organophosphorus compound is the most common agent of deliberating self-poisoning in our study due to its easy availability in our agriculture-based community.

Retrospective assessment of acute poisoning incidents by pharmaceutical agents in Jordan: Data from Pharmacy One™ Poison Call Center, 2014 to 2018-Part II.

Poison control centers provide surveillance data that can be used to estimate the magnitude of poisoning cases and the level of public awareness and to evaluate control measures. The aim of this study is to describe the drug‐related poisoning queries received by the Pharmacy One™ Poisoning Call Center (P1PCC) in Jordan. This is a retrospective descriptive study of the acute drug‐related poisoning incidents in the Jordanian population recorded by the P1PCC during the 2014‐2018 period. The inquiries received were recorded on a predesigned form. The demographic data, including the age and the sex of the patient, the route of and reason for exposure and the drug therapeutic groups, in addition to medical outcomes, were extracted utilizing computerized Oracle and Excel spreadsheets. During the period of evaluation, 900 drug‐related poisoning incidents were reported to the P1PCC. The majority of calls (48.5%) were received via 911, followed by the public (48.56%) and healthcare professionals (27.1%). More than half of the poisoning incidents were recorded among males (52.5%). Adults were the most affected group (40.5%), followed by children (34.0%). Unintentional exposure was the most common cause of poisoning (58.6%), followed by suicide attempts (25.3%). Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and paracetamol caused the majority of the reported cases. Poisoning incidents were mainly classified as mild to moderate (56.1%), while only 16.6% were severe. The P1PCC has demonstrated an important and vital role in improving patient safety and providing education on rational drug use. Reflections on these data can be used to increase public awareness in promoting the rational use of medications among Jordanian citizens.

Retrospective assessment of acute poisoning incidents by nonpharmaceutical agents in Jordan: Data from Pharmacy One™ Poison Call Center, 2014 to 2018-Part I.

The Pharmacy One™ Poising Call Center (P1PCC), located in Amman, Jordan, was created to address deficiencies identified by the pharmacy service, including in the management of poisoning cases. The aims of this study were to analyze the patterns of poisoning cases reported to the P1PCC and to describe the role of the P1PCC pharmacist in ensuring preparedness and managing the response to poisoning cases. In addition, the information from these interventions was used to survey human poisoning in Jordan. This is a retrospective descriptive study of acute poisoning incidents in the Jordanian population, as recorded by the P1PCC during the period 2014‐2018. Inquiries received by the P1PCC were recorded on a predesigned form. The year, patient demographics, toxic agent involved, and circumstances of the poisoning event were all fully documented utilizing Oracle and Excel spreadsheets. A total of 1992 poisoning incidents were reported to the P1PCC, predominately (68.59%) via 911 phone calls. Reports were predominantly from males (1.67:1). Children were the second most common age group after adolescents (22.62% and 42.49%, respectively). The most frequent causative nonpharmaceutical agents were household products (17%) in preschool children and animal bites (20%) in adolescents. Most of the poisoning incidents (74.63%) occurred at home. Unintentional poisoning (54.12%), with mild medical outcomes (61.45%), accounted for most of the poisoning incidents caused by exposure to household products. These data may represent the most recent picture of poisoning incidents in Jordan. Emergency medical services were provided by experienced pharmacy practitioners at the P1PCC, to respond to emergency needs in the community in a professional manner. Therefore, the need for unnecessary hospitalization and the cost of ambulance dispatch were minimized, which are highly valuable outcomes.

Alcohol-related acute presentations to the emergency department

Introduction: Alcohol consumption in excess leads to various consequences, either short term or long term. Acute alcohol impairment is a very important analysis topic for traffic safety, and a wide range of studies have indicated that alcohol is one of the root causes of driving impairment across the world. Methodology: The study was conducted at the emergency department (ED) of Christian Medical College, Vellore, from December 2014 to March 2015. After obtaining informed written consent, all patients above the age of 18 were included and data were analyzed. Results: During the study period, 153 patients presented with alcohol-related emergencies. Among them, 45.75% belonged to the age group of 21–30 years. The most common time of presentation to ED was in the evening from 15:30 to 22:30 (59%). Seventy-six percent of the patients presented with road traffic accidents (RTAs), of which 89.6% were two-wheeler-related RTAs. Among the two-wheeler RTAs, 98.2% did not wear a helmet. Nine percent of the total emergencies were related to acute poisoning incidents. Conclusions: Alcohol-related acute presentations to the ED are common but preventable emergencies, with RTAs and acute poisonings comprising the majority.

Analysis of morbidity with poisonings with ethanol and surrogate alcohols in irkutsk region between 2010 and 2017

Aim. Poisonings with ethanol and surrogate alcohols are preventable causes of morbidity and mortality posing a serious threat to population health. The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of the incidence of acute poisoning with ethyl and surrogate alcohols in the Irkutsk region for the period from 2010 to 2017, and to discuss it in the context of the regional and federal policy aimed at regulation of the alcohol - containing products. Materials and methods. The data of the statistical reporting form No. 12-15 “Information on the results of toxicological monitoring” in the Irkutsk region for the period from 2010 to 2017, the data of the Federal State Statistics Service RosStat on the incidence of acute chemical poisoning, and on incidence of acute poisoning with ethyl alcohol and surrogate alcohols were analyzed. Subsequent interpretation of the results in the context of the regional and federal alcohol control policy has been performed. Results. In the Irkutsk region, during the analyzed period of time there was observed a high incidence of acute poisonings with ethanol and surrogate alcohols with territorial differences within the region, and with positive dynamics of reduction of incidence by 38.7% in 2017 in comparison to 2010. Poisonings with ethanol occupy a leading place in the structure of the incidence in comparison with poisoning with other alcohols. The Irkutsk region was ranked 9th among all other subjects of the Russian Federation in 2017 by level of morbidity with alcohol poisonings. Among all cases of poisonings the proportion of the adult working age population was 89.1%, males - 77%, and unemployed population - 57.8%, which suggests that these categories of population are under the highest risk of acute poisoning with ethanol and surrogate alcohols. Conclusion. Strengthening control over the illegal distribution of ethyl alcohol and alcohol - containing products, especially in the territories situated along the Federal highways is seen as a priority area for action. Control of distribution of alcohols between 2010 and 2017 on the territory of the Irkutsk region allowed reducing incidence of poisonings by 38.7%. To maintain the positive dynamics of reducing morbidity and mortality from acute poisoning of alcohol etiology, to preserve the labor potential of the population of the Irkutsk region, it is necessary to further strengthen and reinforce control measures at the regional level.

Epidemiological profile of acute poisoning in children admitted to a tertiary care hospital

Background: Acute poisoning in children is most commonly encountered in day to day practice which contributes a major part of admissions in pediatric intensive units and ward. It is a preventable public health problem. There are limited community based data available because of several reasons including lack of standard case definition, regional variability, poor functioning regulatory and surveillance system. Therefore, authors carried out this study in present set-up.Methods: A prospective observational study carried out at a tertiary care hospital which included all children within the age of 12 years presenting with history and symptoms and signs suggestive of acute poisoning over a period of 1 year after getting consent from parents.Results: Incidence of acute poisoning among children was 4.7%. Maximum cases were in the age group of 1-5 years (79.85%). Among the 278 cases, male children were 154(55.4%) and female were 124(44.6%). Majority of cases were observed in upper lower (43.1%) socio-economic group of Modified Kuppusamy scale. Based on locality, majority of cases were from rural area (66.9%). Accidental poisoning was the most common cause including 88.5% cases. In our study, we found that hydrocarbons were the most common substance of poisoning (58%). The most common clinical presentation in our study was vomiting (24.5%).Conclusions: Incidence of acute poisoning among children is high in our set-up. Lower socio-economic class, rural populations are important epidemiological factors which influences the poisoning event in children.