ABSTRACT:The present study aimed at verifying the impact of a Moroccan strategy against scorpion stings and specifically at identifying the epidemiological features of patients envenomed or just stung by scorpions. It included 11,907 patients from El Kelaa des Sraghna Province, Morocco, who were evaluated over five years (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005). Most stings occurred during the hot period and mainly at night. The average incidence was 3.2 per 1,000 inhabitants; patients ≤15 years accounted for 34%, and the envenomation rate was 12%. Average lethality rate was 0.7%. Our work evaluated the efficacy of the adopted strategy based on indicators of follow-up, morbidity and lethality due to scorpion sting and envenomation.

The present study aimed at verifying the impact of a Moroccan strategy against scorpion stings and, specifically, at identifying the epidemiological features of the patients envenomed or just stung by scorpions. The investigation included 4089 patients from a province of Morocco which were evaluated over three years (2001, 2002 and 2003). Most stings occurred during the hot period and mainly at night (between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m.). The average incidence was 2.8‰, the average age of the patients was 26.7±18.2 years, and the envenomation rate was 6.7%. Mortality rate was 0.05‰, and average lethality rate was 0.7%. Analysis of variance showed that young age, symptoms at admission, and long time elapsed between sting and admission were correlated with poor outcome. Comparison among data of the three years revealed an increasing number of reported cases and decreasing morbidity and mortality

ABSTRACT:The present study aims to elucidate the risk factors involved in deaths caused by scorpion envenomation. A retrospective study was carried out in the province of Kelâa des Sraghna from 2003 to 2004. The hospital charts of scorpion envenomation cases treated in the Essalama Hospital in Kelâa des Sraghna were exhaustively analyzed. Our study contains 31 cases of death among 470 hospitalization cases. Most stings had occurred during the hot period peaking in July and August (54.6%). Moreover, the scorpion stings occurred at night in 60.1% of the cases, between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. In addition, all age groups were affected by envenomation, with a higher frequency in children aged less than 15 years (68.3%). The envenomation rate (class II + class III) was 70.9%. The statistical analysis of the data shows that being less than 15 years old, having been stung during the night and belonging to class III are risk factors that aggravate vital prognosis of hospitalized patients. Furthermore, clinical severity factors, elicited by relative risk analysis, are cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological vital distresses, with relative risks of 14.84, 11.92 and 48.33, respectively. The results of our study clearly displayed the severity and extent of the scorpion envenomation problem. Thus, great attention must be paid to this region of Morocco by the national health authorities.

Objective: High concentrations of antituberculosis (anti-TB) drugs can be associated with many adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The objective of this study was to examine the plasma concentrations of rifampicin (RMP) and isoniazid (INH) in patients with and without ADRs. Methods: Concentration monitoring data of patients treated with anti-TB drugs were retrospectively analyzed from 2009 to 2011. RMP and INH plasma concentrations were measured 2 and 3 h after drug administration respectively using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: A total of 54 out of 120 patients have experienced ADRs to anti-TB drugs. The median concentrations [interquartile range (IQR)] obtained in patients with and without ADRs were 6.7 mg/l (3.7–9.9) and 5.6 mg/l (2.9–8.6) (p = 0.56) for RMP and 4.3 mg/l (2.3–5.3) and 3.1 mg/l (1.7–4.8) (p = 0.04) for INH, respectively. Related median doses (IQR) were 8.7 mg/kg (8.0–10.0) and 8.6 mg/kg (6.5–9.9) (p = 0.42) for RMP and 4.8 mg/kg (4.3–5.0) and 4.0 mg/kg (2.8–5) (p < 0.01) for INH, respectively. Concentrations above the expected range in patients with and without ADRs were not reached for RMP, but were 76% and 65% for INH, respectively. Correlation between concentrations and doses has not been established for RMP or INH. In addition, high INH concentrations showed no association with sex, age, liver injury or renal or diabetes. Conclusions: High INH concentrations were common in patients with and without ADRs whereas RMP concentrations were low or within the normal range in most patients. Further studies are required to assess the association between high INH concentrations and the occurrence of ADRs.

Résumé -Objectif : Déterminer les facteurs prédictifs de gravité des intoxications aiguës aux pesticides reçues au Centre Antipoison du Maroc (CAPM).Méthodes : Une étude rétrospective des cas d'intoxication reçus par téléphone au niveau du CAPM a été réalisée entre janvier 1992 et décembre 2007. L'évaluation de la gravité s'est faite par le poisoning score severity (PSS). L'analyse descriptive a porté sur l'âge, le sexe, les circonstances, le délai post intoxication, le type d'usage et la classe chimique du pesticide. Une analyse univariée a été effectuée afin d'identifier les facteurs de risque. Résultats : Au total, 2609 appels concernant des cas d'intoxication par pesticide ont été reçus au CAPM, soit 11,3 % de l'ensemble des cas d'intoxication. L'âge moyen était de 19,1 ± 14,5 ans. L'étiologie accidentelle était la plus fréquente (50,1 %) suivie de l'autolyse (42,2 %). Le sex ratio était de 0,93. La voie orale était la plus incriminée (81,9 %). Les patients se présentaient en grade 2 ou en grade 3 dans 45,1 % des cas. La mortalité était de 4,8 %. Les insecticides étaient impliqués dans 54,3 % des cas suivis par les raticides (34 %). Les organophosphorés étaient la classe chimique la plus retrouvée (30 %). Les raticides minéraux représentaient la cause la plus fréquente de décès. Plusieurs facteurs ont été considérés comme facteurs prédictifs du décès à savoir le poisoning score severity (PSS) (P < 10 −4 ), l'âge (P = 0,0108), la voie orale (P = 0,0336), la circonstance volontaire (P = 0,95×10 −4 ), le type d'usage (P = 0,016), et la classe chimique du pesticide (P < 10 −4 ). Conclusion : Les intoxications aiguës par pesticides sont une réalité au Maroc. Les parents et les professionnels de santé doivent être conscients du danger potentiel de ces intoxications afin de les prévenir ou de prévenir leurs conséquences. Mots clés : Intoxication, pesticide, organophosphorés, phosphure d'aluminium, centre antipoisonAbstract -Objective: The purpose of our study is to evaluate risk factors for acute pesticide poisoning received in Poison Control Centre of Morocco. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study. We collected all cases related to pesticide poisoning received by telephone to the poison control centre of Morocco from January 1992 to December 2007. Patients were classified according to the poisoning score severity (PSS). We analyzed demographic features, circumstances, outcome, type of pesticide and compounds. To detect the possible relationship between two variables; correlations were used. Results: 2609 cases were collected, representing 11.3% of all of poisonings. The mean age was 19.1 ± 14.5 years; range 1 day to 84 years. The female sex is more prevalent; sex ratio was 0.93. 50.1% of cases were accidental exposures and 42.2% were suicide attempts. Oral route was involved in 81.9% of cases and inhalation in 9.27%. Patients were classified in grade 2 (PSS) or grade 3 in 45.1%. The mortality was 4.8%. Insecticides were implicated in 54.3% and included organophosphates (30%). Mineral rodenticides wer...

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In Morocco, the Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz region is one of the 16 regions most affected by poisoning. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological profile of poisoning recorded in the study region. A retrospective study of poisoning cases, declared between 1981 and 2008 in the Morocco Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center, was conducted. During the study period, 8517 poisoning cases were collected. The average age of patients was 22 ± 15 years. The male/female sex ratio was 0.85. Food poisoning was the most reported in the region, with 26.6% of cases. Among the 2,779 patients for whom the outcome was known, 65 died, with lethality rate of 23.4‰. The maximum lethality rate was recorded among those poisoned by paraphenylenediamine (170.7‰).

Scorpion stings comprise a serious problem throughout the globe, especially in regions where they are more frequent. In Morocco, Beni Mellal is one of the provinces most affected by this burden. This study aimed to trace the epidemiological profile of scorpion stings in Beni Mellal in order to improve patient care and prevent both morbidity and mortality. Our work is a retrospective study of scorpion stings based on medical charts of Beni Mellal. From 2002 cases were registered in this province with an average incidence of 1.36‰. The stings were more frequent in summer months, particularly July and August, and between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. (59.8%). The average age of victims was 26.54 ± 18.42 years. Children were affected in 30.3% of the cases. Of all registered cases, 67.3% of the patients received medical aid in less than an hour after the sting. The envenomation rate (Class II and Class III) was 12.4% and the overall case-fatality rate was 0.42% with a mortality rate of 0.005‰. Statistical analysis of the various studied factors revealed a significant connection among the envenomation class, patient age and evolution.