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Introduction:Acute corrosive poisonings are caused by ingestion of corrosive chemicals which are most commonly used as household agents. Intoxications with these kind of agents produce numerous and severe post-corrosive complications of the upper gastrointestinal tract. On the other hand, our experience showed that corrosive agents may also cause injuries of the respiratory system, which makes the treatment very hard and additionally complicates the severe clinical condition of the patient.Objective:The aim of the study is to show the incidence of respiratory complications in acute corrosive poisonings, the need of various clinical investigations and also the treatment and final outcome of these kind of poisoning. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical records of 415 patients hospitalized and treated at the University clinic for toxicology and urgent internal medicine, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, in the period between 2007 and 2011. The protocol consisted of methods for analyzing the systemic complications, with an accent on the post-corrosive respiratory complications.Results:From the total number of patients even 98 (23.61%) exhibited systemic complications, from which 51 (52.04%) are respiratory complications. The majority of patients are female (n=40, 78.43%) and the most common complication is pneumonia (n=47). The youngest patient in this study was 14 and the oldest was 87 years old.Conclusion:Besides the gastrointestinal complications in the acute corrosive poisonings respiratory complications are also very often. They complicate the clinical state of patient and very often lead to fatal endings.

Introduction. Acute poisonings with corrosive substances may cause serious chemical injuries of the upper gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the intestines. They appear as a result of accidental or intentional ingestion of caustic substances and may be found in patients of different ages. The aim of this paper was to present our experience with nutritional support in patients with acute caustic poisonings that hinder normal nutrition. Material and Methods. This retrospective study included 33 patients with a history of corrosive substances abuse (acids, alkali and chlorine bleach), of both sexes, aged above 14 years. Results. Follow-up assessment of our patients has shown a considerable weight loss on day 7 (p<0.001), day 14 (p<0.001), day 21 (p<0.001) and day 28 (p<0.001) after admission to hospital, which is explained with the severe post-corrosive condition of the patients and hypercatabolic state. Conclusion. Caustic poisonings are the most severe poisonings in the clinical practice and they are mostly encountered in younger adults. By application of artificial nutritional support we managed to maintain body weight, level of proteins and albumins, nutritional status and nitrogen balance in our patients.

Heroin dependence is associated with increased insulin resistance in hepatitis C virus seronegative heroin dependents. Prolonged heroin use is associated with reduction of basal β-cell pancreatic function with decreased insulin resistance controlled for waist circumference, but still inducing significantly decreased basal insulin sensitivity.