OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the data on acute adult poisoning over a six-year period at a university emergency department in Turkey and identify the risk factors of mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this survey, data were collected from 2,229 adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of Cukurova Medical Faculty, Adana, from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2002. RESULTS: Of all emergency admissions during the six years, 1.6% were poisoned. Of the total poisoning cases, 725 (32.5%) were males and 1,504 were females. Mean age was 29.3 +/- 13.2 for males and 23.8 +/- 9.6 for females (p=0.001). A majority of the cases (76.4%) were attempted suicides. The attempted suicide ratio is higher for women (gender ratio: 2.4/1) and youths. Drugs were the most frequent cause of poisoning (59.0%) and pesticides were the second (26.4%). Psychoactive drugs were the most common agent (33.5%) among drugs, with their rate increasing each year. Eighty-seven patients died (3.9%): alcohol (methanol) was the most frequent cause of death (20.6%), followed by mushrooms (11.5%), carbon monoxide (10.3%) and pesticides (8.3%). More men than women died by poisoning (OR: 1.8 CI: 1.1-3.1). Gender, age, season, clinical status, initial emergency care and type of substance were significant risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION: Poisoning by psychoactive drugs was increasing each year of the study, but many drugs are not a serious risk factor for mortality. However, organic phosphorus is a serious risk factor for poisoning and mortality in this area. Providing satisfactory public and emergency staff assistance and education on the subject may reduce the mortality rate.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the data on acute adult poisoning over a six-year period at a university emergency department in Turkey and identify the risk factors of mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this survey, data were collected from 2,229 adult patients admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of Cukurova Medical Faculty, Adana, from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2002. RESULTS: Of all emergency admissions during the six years, 1.6% were poisoned. Of the total poisoning cases, 725 (32.5%) were males and 1,504 were females. Mean age was 29.3 +/- 13.2 for males and 23.8 +/- 9.6 for females (p=0.001). A majority of the cases (76.4%) were attempted suicides. The attempted suicide ratio is higher for women (gender ratio: 2.4/1) and youths. Drugs were the most frequent cause of poisoning (59.0%) and pesticides were the second (26.4%). Psychoactive drugs were the most common agent (33.5%) among drugs, with their rate increasing each year. Eighty-seven patients died (3.9%): alcohol (methanol) was the most frequent cause of death (20.6%), followed by mushrooms (11.5%), carbon monoxide (10.3%) and pesticides (8.3%). More men than women died by poisoning (OR: 1.8 CI: 1.1-3.1). Gender, age, season, clinical status, initial emergency care and type of substance were significant risk factors for mortality. CONCLUSION:Poisoning by psychoactive drugs was increasing each year of the study, but many drugs are not a serious risk factor for mortality. However, organic phosphorus is a serious risk factor for poisoning and mortality in this area. Providing satisfactory public and emergency staff assistance and education on the subject may reduce the mortality rate.