title: Analysis of 1,000 consecutive cases of acute poisoning in the suburb of Tokyo leading to hospitalization.
abstract: We have analyzed retrospectively 1,000 consecutive admissions due to acute poisonings over 13 years. Total mortality was 27%. Acute poisonings due to pesticides, therapeutic drugs and other substances were 518, 332 and 150 cases with mortalities of 51, 1 and 5%, respectively. The most frequent cause of acute poisoning was paraquat/diquat products, whose mortality reached 76% (220 deaths/291 cases). The second most frequent cause was organophosphate/carbamate products with a mortality of 24% (37/155). When these 2 pesticides are excluded, the mortality was only 3% (15/554). To reduce instances of paraquat/diquat poisoning, dilution of the available product or formulation in other than liquid form would be desirable, because no effective treatment is currently available. In cases of organophosphate/carbamate poisoning, early hospitalization and stabilization is crucial.
authors.affiliation: Poison Center, Hidaka Hospital, Takasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D002219:Carbamates; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004178:Diquat / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006540:Herbicides / Q000506:poisoning; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000506:poisoning; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010269:Paraquat / Q000506:poisoning; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013383:Suburban Population; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D002219:Carbamates; D006540:Herbicides; D007306:Insecticides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010575:Pesticides; D004178:Diquat; D010269:Paraquat