title: Clinical profile and outcome of patients presenting with mushroom poisoning in a tertiary care center of eastern Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accidental mushroom poisoning is constantly seen and regularly reported from all over world. Exact magnitude of problem and its clinical profile in Nepal is not well known. This study was done to evaluate clinical profile and treatment outcome of patients presenting with mushroom poisoning in the department of internal medicine, BPKIHS, Dharan.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a prospective observational study conducted in department of internal medicine, BPKIHS, Dharan from 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2009. Informed consent was taken. All the patients were subjected to necessary laboratory investigation. They were followed up at 1 week and 1 month after discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All together 60 patients were analyzed. Majority of subjects 56 (93.3%) were from rural areas. Vomiting and diarrhea were the two most common presentations seen in 56 (93.3%) subjects. The latent period for the symptoms were >6 hours in 4 (6.7%) and <6 hours in 56 (93.3%) subjects. Fulminant hepatic failure was seen in 6 (10%) subjects and among them 4 (66.7%) expired. After admission 3 (5%) subjects developed GI bleeding. Average duration of hospital stay was 4.6 days. In follow up recovery was complete in all subjects who survived the acute phase of poisoning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Especially in patients coming during rainy season mushroom poisoning should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis. Mortality is high in subjects with FHF whereas recovery is complete in subjects who survived the acute phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Shatdal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Ramesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Chaurasia
authors.affiliation: Lumbini Eye Institute, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sushila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Krishna Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aswani
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Bhairahawa, Nepal.
authors.forename: Niraj kumar
authors.initials: Nk
authors.lastname: Jaiswal
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009145:Mushroom Poisoning / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult