A Clinical and Demographic Profile of Acute Poisoning in Adults: A Two Year Experience from a Tertiary Care Centre in Bangalore, India

Abstract

Aims: This study was done to analyze the local pattern of poisoning, clinical presentation, management practices, complications and the outcome of various poisonings. Methods: It was a prospective observational study conducted over two years, from October 2013 to September 2015, at M.S.Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals, Bangalore. It included 250 patients who presented with history of acute poisoning. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was 28.5 years. There were 126 (50.4%) males and 124 (49.6%) females. Majority of the patients were literate (n=229; 91.6%). About one third of the patients were unemployed (n=73; 29.2%) and more than half were married (n=141; 56.4%). Considering the socio economic status, 116 (55.24%) patients were from upper middle class II in urban areas, as compared to 40 (100%) patients from upper class I in rural areas using appropriate socioeconomic scales. Organophosphorus compound was the most common poison involved (n=72, 28.8%). There were 40 (16%) cases of aluminum phosphide poisoning. A total of 203 (81.2%) patients sought medical help within an hour of poisoning. Complications encountered were ventilator associated pneumonia (n=5; 2%), renal failure (n=13; 5.2%) and hepatic failure (n=4; 1.6%). Majority of them recovered (n=229; 91.6%) and 13 (5.2%) patients died. Conclusion: The study subjects were relatively young, came from upper middle class nuclear families and were literate. Organophosphorus was the most common cause of poisoning. Most patients received emergency care within one hour of poisoning and mortality was low. A large majority also had underlying psychiatric illness. These conclusions may hold true to areas similar in socioeconomic conditions as ours in India.