title: Chemical poisonings among Kraków inhabitants in 1972 and 2002.
abstract: The patterns (frequency, poisoning type, toxic agent involved) of adolescent and adult poisonings in Kraków in 1972 and 2002 are presented. The analysis includes data for poisoned patients treated at the Kraków Department of Clinical Toxicology in 2002 and 1972, and all on the spot fatal cases subjected to post-mortem autopsy and toxicological examinations at the Department of Forensic Medicine in both the years. As much as 4116 poisoned cases (males 2722; females 1394) were treated in 2002 compared to 1485 (males 649; females 836) in 1972. There was no substantial difference between a number of poison related fatalities on the spot in years analysed: 126 (males 105; females 21) in 2002 and 122 (males 84; females 38) in 1972. An elevation in poisoning incidence rate per 10,000 of Kraków inhabitants was also noted in 2002 compared to 1972 (54.3 vs. 30.0). A pharmaceuticals (32.9%) followed by CO (18.2%) and mixed pharmaceuticals (16.2%) were mostly involved in poisoning cases in 1972, whereas ethanol (46%), pharmaceuticals (13.2%), pharmaceuticals co-ingested with ethanol (7.8%), narcotics (7.8%), mixed pharmaceuticals (6.7%), and CO (5.2%) were mostly involved in poisoning cases treated in 2002. A mortality rate both concerning only a people who died in hospital or/and those who died on the spot (prior to any treatment) was significantly higher in 1972 compared to 2002.
authors.affiliation: Poison Information Centre, Department of Clinical Toxicology, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Targosz
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sancewicz-Pach
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szkolnicka
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kłys
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000506:poisoning; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D000431:Ethanol