title: Fatal poisonings in Trabzon (Turkey).
abstract: The aim of this study was to present the characteristics of medicolegal autopsies of fatal poisonings in Trabzon (Turkey), performed from 1998 to 2008, to contribute to the available data on this topic. A retrospective study of the forensic records and the toxicological data of all autopsies performed over that period revealed that 285 cases (6.34%) of the 4492 total autopsies performed were attributed to fatal poisoning. Major toxic substances were classified in five categories as follows: carbon monoxide (CO), insecticides, prescription medications, narcotic drugs, and alcohol (methyl and ethyl). CO was the most frequent cause of death (63.2%), followed by insecticides (17.2%), prescription medications and narcotic drugs (9.8%), alcohol (7.7%), and others (mushroom, rodenticide, and botulism) (2.1%). Ages of the patients ranged from 1 to 86 years (21.55 ± 36.56).
authors: Forensic Medicine Department, Medical Faculty, Karadeniz Technical University, Adli Tip Anabilim, Dali, 61080, Trabzon, Turkey. ismailbirinci@meds.ktu.edu.tr
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Birincioglu
authors: Hulya
authors: H
authors: Karadeniz
authors: Hacer Yasar
authors: HY
authors: Teke
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000401:mortality; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000506:poisoning; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D053593:Forensic Toxicology; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007306:Insecticides / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000506:poisoning; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000506:poisoning; D011041:Poisoning / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012997:Solvents / Q000506:poisoning; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D007306:Insecticides; D009294:Narcotics; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol; D000432:Methanol