A retrospective analysis of acute organophosphorus poisoning cases admitted to the tertiary care teaching hospital in South India.
OBJECTIVE
We have herein reported our experience with the pattern of presentation of cases of acute organophosphorus (OP) poisoning cases in a tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
This retrospective study evaluated the hospital records of patients with acute OP poisoning. In a pre-structured proforma, data regarding age, sex, time elapsed after intake, circumstances of poisoning, duration of hospitalization, severity, complications, and outcome of the patients were recorded. The data were presented as mean ± standard deviation, entered in the open office datasheet, and analyzed with PSPP software.


RESULTS
A total 101 patients were included in the study. Young adult males were more commonly involved than females (M:F 2.5:1). The mean age of the patients was 28 years (range 2-72 years, SD ± 14.3 years). Mean time to receive treatment was 5.2 ± 7.4 (range 1-48 h). About 45.5% patients received first aid before coming to the hospital. The reason was suicide in 88.1% cases and accident in 12 (11.9%, all children). Seventy-nine patients received pralidoxime (PAM) and the mean duration was 1.7 ± 1.1 (range 1-4 days). Atropine was given in all patients. Mean duration was 5.1 ± 3.1 (range 1-19 days). Mean hospital stay was 7.5 ± 4.7 days (range 1-26 days). Mortality was 9.9% in the present series.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the present study contribute substantial information regarding the epidemiology and outcome of acute OP poisoning in a tertiary care teaching hospital at a district level, its relatively small sample size and the retrospective record-based nature are the major limitations of the present study. There is a further need for prospective studies to understand the underlying socio-economic factors responsible for acute OP poisoning in our population, and, accordingly, address the problems to reduce the incidence of acute OP poisoning cases.
Department of Medicine, Narayana Medical College Hospital, Chinthareddypalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India.
M Rajesh
MR
Kumar
G P Vignan
GP
Kumar
P Ramesh
PR
Babu
S Satish
SS
Kumar
B V
BV
Subrahmanyam
M
M
Veeraprasad
P
P
Rammohan
M
M
Srinivas
Amit
A
Agrawal
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001285:Atropine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D062025:Organophosphate Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D063128:Tertiary Health Care; D055815:Young Adult
D000931:Antidotes; D011220:Pralidoxime Compounds; D001285:Atropine; C028797:pralidoxime