Ramadan fasting has beneficial influences on the inflammatory state, as well as metabolic and anthropometric parameters.

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the biological effects of acute poisoning, the nature of agents involved and the pattern of poisoning in Diyarbakir City, in the Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey, during 2000. Method: Hospital records of all admissions to the Emergency Department (ED) of Dicle University Hospital following acute poisoning were revised and all data from January to December 2000 were analysed. The present study included 44 (25.9%) male (M) and 126 (74.1%) female (F), a total of 170 patients. The M/F ratio was 1.0/3.5. Results: The mean age of patients was 23.39±6.3 years; 63 (37.1%) of them were under 20 years of age and 147 (86.5%) were under 30 years of age. Most intoxication cases occurred during the summer season (93 of 170 patients). On a monthly basis, admissions during April, May and July were most common (24, 26 and 30 patients, respectively). Sixty-two (36.5%) cases involved accidental poisoning while 108 (63.5%) involved deliberate poisoning. In suicide attempts, intoxications were more common in females (77 cases, 71.3%, P < 0.05), and in unmarried persons (74 cases, 68.5%, P < 0.05). There were only two deaths (1.2%) among the 170 admissions of acute poisonings. One of the deaths was due to pesticide poisoning and the other was due to medical drug abuse. Tachycardia (59, 34.7%), vomiting (55, 32.4%) and loss of consciousness (42, 24.7%) were frequently observed, whereas hypersecretion (15, 8.8%), bradycardia (5, 2.9%), convulsion (8, 4.7%) and hypertension (2, 1.2%) were less frequent. Among pesticide poisoning cases the incidence of convulsion (6, 10.2%), miosis (6, 10.2%), and hypersecretion (12, 20.3%) were significantly higher when compared to other cases (P–0.018, P B < 0.0001 and P B < 0.0001, respectively). Conclusion: In the Southeast Anatolian region of Turkey, pesticide intoxication is common especially among young, unmarried females and most of these intoxications are intentional self-poisonings. The annual rate of poisoning-related ED visits and mortality were found to be within expected ranges; psychoactive agents being the most common cause.

CI = confidence interval; DG = delirious group; HBP = hepatobiliopancreatic diseases; ICU = intensive care unit; LSH = length of stay in hospital; LSICU = length of stay in the ICU; NDG = non-delirious group; OR = odds ratio. AbstractBackground Delirium is a sign of deterioration in the homeostasis and physical status of the patient. The objective of our study was to investigate the predisposing factors for delirium in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Method Between January 1996 and 1997, we screened prospectively 818 patients who were consecutive applicants to the general surgery service of Dicle-University Hospital and had been kept in the ICU for delirium. All patients were hospitalized either for elective or emergency services and were treated either with medication and/or surgery. Suspected cases of delirium were identified during daily interviews. The patients who had changes in the status of consciousness (n = 150) were consulted with an experienced consultation-liaison psychiatrist. The diagnosis of delirium was based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (revised third edition) criteria and established through psychiatric interviews. Patients were divided into two groups: the 'delirious group' (DG) (n = 90) and the 'nondelirious group' (NDG) (n = 728). During delirium, all abnormal findings related to physical conditions, laboratory features, and additional diseases were evaluated as probable risk factors of delirium. Results Of 818 patients, 386 (47.2%) were male and 432 (52.8%) were female. Delirium developed in 90 of 818 patients (11%). The cases of delirium in the DG were more frequent among male patients (63.3%) than female patients (36.7%) (χ 2 = 10.5, P = 0.001). The mean age was 48.9 ± 18.1 and 38.5 ± 13.8 years in the DG and NDG, respectively (t = 6.4, P = 0.000). Frequency of delirium is higher in the patients admitted to the Emergency Department (χ 2 = 43.6, P = 0.000). The rate of postoperative delirium was 10.9%, but there was no statistical difference related to operations between the DG and NDG (χ 2 = 0.13, P = 0.71). The length of stay in the ICU was 10.7 ± 13.9 and 5.6 ± 2.9 days in the DG and NDG, respectively (t = 0.11, P = 0.000). The length of stay in hospital was 15.6 ± 16.5 and 8.1 ± 2.7 days in the DG and NDG, respectively (t = 11.08, P = 0.000). Logistic regression was used to explore the associations between probable risk factors and delirium. Delirium was not correlated with conditions such as hypertension, hypo/hyperpotassemia, hypernatremia, hypoalbuminemia, hypo/hyperglycemia, cardiac disease, emergency admission, age, length of stay in the ICU, length of stay in hospital, and gender. It was determined that conditions such as respiratory diseases (odds ratio [OR] = 30.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.5-98.4), infections (OR = 18.0, 95% CI = 3.5-90.8), fever (OR = 14.3, 95% CI = 4.1-49.3), anemia (OR = 5.4, 95% CI = 1.6-17.8), hypotension (OR = 19.8,3), hypocalcemia (OR = 30.9, 95% CI = 5.8-163.2), hyponatremia (OR = 8.2, 95% CI = 2.5-26.4)...

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