title: [Epidemiology of acute poisonings during 2002-2011 in Toxicology Unit; Department of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intoxication poses significant challenge for medical staff due to diagnostic difficulties, complex clinical pattern, resulting from polyethiology of poisoning and potential risk of life threatening complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  the epidemiology of acute poisonings, observed in Toxicology Unit (TU) in Lodz during the period 2002-201--is the main objective of the study. Authors present their frequency and associated mortality and discuss the structure of poisonings with regard to type and causative agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data used for analysis were drawn from National Poison Information Center in Lodz. They were divided into two groups. The first one comprised informations about patients treated in TU, whereas the second one included cases treated in other hospitals and only consulted by TU staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of obtained data showed that medications overdose was the most frequent cause of hospitalization during 2002-2011. Patients between 15 and 30 years constituted the largest group in comparison with total number of poisonings. Medications, alcohols and gases constituted also the leading cause of deaths due to poisoning during the analysed period. Suicidal poisonings composed the largest group in 2002 and 2003 y respectively, whereas poisonings caused by abuse or abuse in the course of dependence were the most frequent in subsequent years.
authors: Oddzial Toksykologii Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. Prof. J. Nofera w Lodzi.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Piekarska-Wijatkowska
authors: Centrum Informacji Toksykologicznej Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. Prof. J. Nofera w Lodzi.
authors: Sylwia
authors: S
authors: Czyzewska
authors: Oddzial Toksykologii Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. Prof. J. Nofera w Lodzi.
authors: Małgorzata
authors: M
authors: Kotwica
authors: Centrum Informacji Toksykologicznej Instytutu Medycyny Pracy im. Prof. J. Nofera w Lodzi.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Krakowiak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015984:Causality; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult