title: Respiratory complications from acute corrosive poisonings in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute corrosive poisonings are caused by ingestion of corrosive chemicals which are most commonly used as household agents. Intoxications with these kind of agents produce numerous and severe post-corrosive complications of the upper gastrointestinal tract. On the other hand, our experience showed that corrosive agents may also cause injuries of the respiratory system, which makes the treatment very hard and additionally complicates the severe clinical condition of the patient.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to show the incidence of respiratory complications in acute corrosive poisonings, the need of various clinical investigations and also the treatment and final outcome of these kind of poisoning.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed clinical records of 415 patients hospitalized and treated at the University clinic for toxicology and urgent internal medicine, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, in the period between 2007 and 2011. The protocol consisted of methods for analyzing the systemic complications, with an accent on the post-corrosive respiratory complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the total number of patients even 98 (23.61%) exhibited systemic complications, from which 51 (52.04%) are respiratory complications. The majority of patients are female (n=40, 78.43%) and the most common complication is pneumonia (n=47). The youngest patient in this study was 14 and the oldest was 87 years old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Besides the gastrointestinal complications in the acute corrosive poisonings respiratory complications are also very often. They complicate the clinical state of patient and very often lead to fatal endings.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Andon A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chibishev
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simonovska
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Cvetanka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bozinovska
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Zanina
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pereska
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Ivica
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smokovski
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Toxicology and urgent internal medicine, University "Ss Cyril and Metodius", Medical faculty, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glasnovic
keywords: Corrosive poisonings; pneumonia; post-corrosive complications; systemic complications