OUTCOME AND PREDICTORS OF IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ACUTE POISONING TO A TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective: To determine the outcome and predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients presenting with acute poisoning to a teaching hospital.

Methodology: This was a hospital based descriptive study. A total of 128 pa- tients were enrolled from June 2015 to July 2017.Patients presenting with acute poisoning, of either gender and above 12 years were included by non-proba- bility convenient sampling method. Patients were divided into the survivors and the expired group. Outcome, mortality and predictors of in-hospital mortality were studied. For data entry and analysis, SPSS version 21.0 was utilized.

Results: Out of 128 patients, there were 51 (39.8%) males and 77 (60.2%) fe- males. Mean age of the patients was 25.79 ±11.23 years. A total of 15 (11.7%) patients expired. The highest number of deaths (7/16, 43.75%) were observed in the aluminium phosphide (wheat pill) poisoning patients which was followed by organophosphorus poisoning (4/40, 10%). Majority of the expired patients presented after 06 hours (73.3%), had respiratory distress (60%), shock (46.7%) and received delayed management in the form of gastric lavage (66.7%) and other supportive care (80%). Among the 15 expired patients, 08 (53.3%) were females and 13 (86.7%) were in the age group of below 40 years.

Conclusion: The overall mortality was 11.7% and the majority of expired pa- tients were young individuals of less than 40 years of age. Late presentation, delayed management, GCS below 8/15, shock, respiratory distress and poison- ing with aluminium phosphide or organophosphorus compounds were import- ant predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute poisoning.