title: Epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide poisoning in Taiwan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The nationwide epidemiology of organophosphate pesticide (OP) poisoning has never been reported in detail for Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study retrospectively reviewed all human OP exposures reported to Taiwan's Poison Control Centers (PCCs) from July 1985 through December 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 4799 OP exposures. Most OP exposures were acute (98.37%) ingestions (74.50%) of a single OP (80.37%) to attempt suicide (64.72%) in adults (93.25%). Males were the most common gender (64.95%). Most patients (61.97%) received atropine and/or pralidoxime. The mortality rate for all 4799 OP exposures was 12.71%. Exposures to single OPs without co-intoxicants caused 524 deaths; of these, 63.36% were due to dimethyl OPs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dimethyl OPs cause the majority of deaths in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzeng Jih
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Frank Gardner
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Dong Zong
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Jin Lian
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Sheng Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jung San
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jou-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jung San
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chase
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Denninghoff
authors.forename: Hon Man
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001285:Atropine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062025:Organophosphate Poisoning; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D010575:Pesticides; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds; D001285:Atropine; C028797:pralidoxime