Poisoning deaths in Poland : types and frequencies reported in Łódź, Kraków, Sosnowiec, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Poznań during 2009-2013

Objectives: The aim of this study has been to assess the characteristics of acute poisoning deaths in Poland over a period of time 2009–2013. Material and Methods: The analysis was based on the data obtained from the patient records stored in toxicology departments in 6 cities – Łódź, Kraków, Sosnowiec, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Poznań. Toxicological analyses were routinely performed in blood and/or urine. Major toxic substances were classified to one of the following categories: pharmaceuticals, alcohol group poisonings (ethanol and other alcohols), gases, solvents, drugs of abuse, pesticides, metals, mushrooms, others. Cases were analyzed according to the following criteria: year, age and gender of analyzed patients, toxic substance category and type of poisoning. The recorded fatal poisonings were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases. Results: The record of 261 deaths were retrospectively reviewed. There were 187 males (71.64%) and 74 females (28.36%) and the male to female ratio was 2.52. Alcohol group poisonings were more frequently responsible for deaths in men compared to all poisonings, 91.1% vs. 71.6%, respectively (p < 0.05), and pharmaceutical agents were more frequently responsible for deaths in women, 47.4% vs. 28.4%, (p < 0.05). Methanol was the most common agent in the alcohol group poisonings, accounting for 43.75% (N = 49), followed by ethylene glycol, 39.29% (N = 44), and ethanol, 16.96% (N = 19). Conclusions: Epidemiological profile data from investigation of poisoning deaths in Poland may be very useful for the development of preventive programs. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):897–90

Epidemiology of acute poisonings during 2003–2007 in toxicology unit, department of occupational medicine and toxicology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland

Objectives: The epidemiology of acute poisonings, observed in Toxicology Unit in Łódź, is the main objective of the study. The authors present frequency of respective kinds of poisoning cases and associated mortality. They discuss also the structure of poisonings with regard to type and causative agents over a period between 2003 and 2007. Materials and methods: The data used for the analysis were obtained from National Poison Information Center in Łódź. They were divided into two groups. The first one comprised information about patients treated at the Toxicology Unit (TU), whereas the other one included cases treated in other hospitals and only consulted by TU staff. Results: Analysis of the data shows that overdosage of medications was the most frequent cause of hospitalization during 2006-2007. It constituted also the leading cause of deaths due to poisoning during 2003-2005. However, it was superseded during the subsequent period of 2006-2007 by intoxication with alcohols which was associated with the highest number of deaths in the latter period. Situation changed dynamically also with regard to the intention of poisoning. Suicidal poisonings constituted the largest group in 2003, whereas poisonings caused by abuse, including dependence-related abuse, were the most frequent in subsequent years. Patients between 15 and 30 years old formed the largest group among the total number of poisonings. Conclusions: The results of our study on epidemiology of acute poisoning in Łódź between 2003-2007 show that poisoning is a frequent cause of admission to hospital and constitutes a major health problem in Łódź district because of large number of hospital admissions, associated mortality and the high proportion of patients at young age

Acute intentional poisonings within an urban agglomeration in Poland in 2004–2013

ObjectivesThe aim of the research was to analyze the nature of changes and tendencies observed in the frequency, circumstances and causes of acute intentional poisonings within the agglomeration of Łódź, Poland. The study related to adults.Material and MethodsAs the research material, medical records of patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning in the Department of Toxicology in Łódź were used. Information on the hospitalized patients was gathered in the database created in accordance with the assumed criteria and an approved system of the collection of variables describing the issues of intentional acute poisonings.ResultsIn the analyzed period, within the group of 18 918 adult patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning, male patients prevailed, accounting for 57.17% of the whole group. Intentional poisonings constituted 40.19% of all poisonings, with women dominating within that group of patients – accounting for approximately 58.63%. The largest group was formed by young people, 18–35 years old, accounting for 43.22%. The average age of the intentionally poisoned patients showed an upward tendency; this tendency concerned women to a larger extent. Medications played the most powerful role in acute intentional poisonings. Within the whole population, they were responsible for 97.27% of intoxications. The analysis of the dynamics of changes in the percentage of patients referred for further mental treatment revealed that the number of patients continuing hospital treatment in psychiatric wards tended to grow.ConclusionsObservations indicating that women are more likely to attempt intentional poisoning, and that the number of patients with psychiatric disturbances tended to grow in the analyzed period, demonstrate an urgent need for preventive measures to be taken in the local communities

Clinical pattern of poisoning among patients declared as taking novel recreational drugs

ObjectivesIntoxication with novel psychoactive drugs poses a significant challenge for medicine due to diagnostic difficulties, complex clinical patterns resulting from the polyethiology of poisoning, and the risk of fatal complications.Material and MethodsThe authors of the present work have made a retrospective review of medical records of the patients hospitalized at the Toxicology Unit (TU), diagnosed with poisoning by novel recreational drugs.ResultsIn 2008–2013, 576 patients diagnosed with that type of poisoning were admitted to the TU. Of those, 192 (33.3%) patients were positive for ethanol in addition to the most popular toxins found in the material collected from the patients, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (50 [8.6%] patients) and amphetamine (35 [6.1%] patients). The most frequent clinical symptoms observed on admission were: anxiety (433 [75.1%] patients), agitation (275 [47.7%] patients), and complaints associated with the circulatory system (225 [39.1%] patients). In the subgroup of 104 (18.0%) psychiatrist-interviewed people, a relationship was found between the suicidal ideation reported during history-taking and the following factors: earlier psychiatric treatment (p = 0.000), financial problems (p = 0.015) and prolonged unemployment (p = 0.022).ConclusionsThe observed clinical pattern may be associated with sympathomimetic syndrome due to poisoning by novel psychoactive substances. Preliminary results of this research show that financial problems and a history of psychiatric treatment may enhance suicidal ideation in patients after acute poisoning by psychoactive substances

Pesticide poisonings in 2004−2014 in Łódź, Poland − an analysis of selected clinical and sociodemographic parameters

Background Acute pesticide poisonings constitute an important toxicological problem in numerous countries. This report refers to patients treated for poisonings at the Toxicology Unit, Łódź, Poland, in the period 2004−2014. Material and Methods Data to be analyzed were obtained from medical records of hospitalized people. A group of 24 301 patients aged ≥ 15 were selected. In the group of 149 people poisoned with pesticides (0.61% of all poisoning cases), there were 40 women and 109 men. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of age on suicide attempts using pesticides. Results Suicide attempts significantly more frequently concerned younger people. In this type of behavior, coumarin derivatives were significantly more often used than organophosphorus compounds or pesticides classified as “others.” The patients with suicidal pesticide poisonings stayed in the ward significantly longer than those poisoned unintentionally. Conclusions In the analyzed population inhabiting an area with a high degree of urbanization, in terms of the place of residence and employment, pesticide poisonings were more common in men than in women. Suicide attempts using pesticides more frequently concerned younger people. Information found in this study may prove useful for education purposes, and also in informing clinicians. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):655–6