Pattern of Acute Poisoning Cases Admitted to Menoufia Poisoning and Addiction Control Center: A Prospective Study

Introduction: Poisoning is a growing public concern and real potential threat to the Egyptian community. Acute poisoning is a common medical emergency encountered in practice. The knowledge profile of poisoning cases encountered in a particular area is useful to prepare health care professionals to handle these emergencies efficiently
Aim of the study is to highlight the pattern of acute poisoning cases in poisoning and control center of Menofia University hospital in order to take appropriate management of these cases.
Subjects and methods: a hospital based prospective study carried out on 653 acute poisoning cases admitted to Poisoning and Addiction Control Center at Menoufia University Hospital during the period from the 1st of March  to the end of June 2015. Information was obtained from direct interview with patients, their relatives and the attending medical staff at the center after management of the patient as well as from the health records. Personal data, circumstances, type of poisonous substance and outcome were collected.
Results: Overall, 653 poison exposure cases were recorded. Children under 7 years old were
involved in 40.1% of cases. In 84.4%% of  cases, the poisoning was accidental. Attempted suicide was definitely more common in females  (83.3%) and the more prevalent age group was from 15-25 years (59.8%). Substances most frequently involved were insecticides (30.4%), drugs (25.4%) especially tramadol and corrosives (11.2%). Most cases (83.0% ) improved. Twenty fatalities were  mainly from zinc and aluminum phosphide poisoning .
Conclusions and recommendations: Poisoning is more prevalent in children and young adolescents by volatiles, insecticides and drugs this necessitates keeping of poisonous substances out reach of children, restriction in free sale of the poisonous substances. Also, promotion of Poison Information Centers along with public awareness could be suggested to decrease the incidence and mortality of poisoning cases