Clinico-epidemiological profile of poisoned patients in emergency department: A two and half year's single hospital experience

CONTEXT: Poisoning is a common cause for attending emergency department of hospitals. AIMS: To explore the epidemiological characteristics and clinical profile of patients presenting with poisoning in emergency department. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional, hospital-based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant epidemiological and clinical data from patients, presenting with history/clinical features of poisoning in emergency department of a tertiary care district hospital in India, were collected and analyzed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data analysis was done by using descriptive and inferential statistical methods: Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation (SD). A two-tailed P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 4,432 patients with history and/clinical features of poisoning were included in the study. The females clearly outnumbered male patients. Poisoning with suicidal intent was more frequent (81.08%) than accidental (18.92%) (P < 0.0001). Majority of the patients were housewives followed by farmers, businessmen, laborers, and students. The mean time interval between poison consumption and admission to hospital was 6.4 hours (Mean ± SD: 6.4 ± 2.29). Snakebite (31.90%) was the most common cause of poisoning followed by organophosphorus compounds (21.84%), rodenticide (16.49%), alcohol (13.80%), chemicals (9.04%), and drugs (2.3%). The mean GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) score of the poisoned patients at presentation was 6.85 ± 1.62. Of all the patients included in the study, 3,712 patients (83.76%) survived and 720 patients (16.24%) expired. CONCLUSIONS: The current piece of work suggests that most of the poisoning cases involved young age group particularly females. Snakebite and organophosphorus compounds contributed most of the poisoning cases which calls for urgent government initiatives for improvement in proper lighting of the district to prevent snakebite and controlled use of pesticides.