Analysis of patients with acute intoxication in a two year period

Abstract

Objectives: To analyse and identify epidemiological, demographic and clinical features of the patients who attended to a university hospital emergency department with intentional or accidental drug overdose in a two year period.
Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study. Data base had been constituted from Ege University School of Medicine Hospital Emergency Department (ED) records. Patients in pediatric and adult age group were included in the study who attended to the ED between 01.01.2006-31.12.2007. Patients presented with accidental or intentional drug overdose have been chosen from the forensic report records and included in this study population.
Results: 608 patients records were reviewed. Intoxication patients were 0.4% of all attendances. Mean age of the patients included in the study was 26.8±11.0 (5-93) and 80% (n: 480) of those were female. Eighty two percent (n: 485) of the patients were younger than 35 years old and 14% (n: 86) of the patients were in pediatric age group (younger than 18 years old). Attendance rate begin to increase especially in spring season with a peak of the attendance rate in May and June. Seventy two percent (n: 480) of the patients were attended between 18: 00-08: 00 hours, most frequent attendances were found between 22: 00-23: 00 hours. Most frequent reason (82%) was drug overdose for suicide attempt. Two hundred seventy four (45.1%) patients had takenmultiple drugs and 9.2% (n: 56) of them had alcohol intake additionally. The most commonly used drugs were analgesics, and secondly was psychotropic agents. Most frequent diagnose was “impulsive suicide attempt” (21.1%) followed by “major depression” (17.6%; n: 107). The average length of stay of patients in the ED was found to be 19.2±22.7 (0-168) hours. 93.2% of the patients were observed and treated in the ED. Rest of the patients were hospitalized, 4.1% of the patients were transferred to the intensive care unit and 2.7% of them to the services.
Conclusion: Young woman population is especially at risk of intoxication. Self-poisoning is the most common intoxication type. The most commonly used drugs are analgesics, and secondly antidepressant drugs. Mortality and morbidity rates are low in patients who are intoxicated due to suicide attempt.