A study on outcome of rodenticide poisoning patients admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital in relation to the chemical content of that poison

Abstract

Background: Poisoning is the major health problem in India. Rodenticides are the commonest poisoning in Asian countries like India. Rodenticides are the substance used to kill rats. Prognosis mainly depends on chemical content of poison.Methods: This retrospective record-based study was conducted between January 2017 to December 2017 at government hospital department of general medicine, MIMS, Mandya, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Data regarding age, sex, marital status, occupation, type of poison, route of exposure, and outcome of poisoning and associated co-morbid conditions were collected from the hospital records and documented in the pre-structured proforma. Descriptive analysis was carried out by the mean and standard deviation for quantitative variables, frequency and proportion for categorical variables.Results: Out of 56 patients 33 (59%) were female 23 (41%) were male. Most common age group was 20 to 30 years, followed by 31 to 40 years group. Most common poison was yellow phosphorous (41%), followed by aluminium phosphide (29%). Most common complication was hepatitis (20%),followed by cardiogenic shock (9%).Total mortality was 3 (5%).Conclusions: Among rodenticides yellow phosphorous was most common consumed poison in present study. Aluminium phosphorus was most lethal poison. Even though there is no specific antidote, early symptomatic treatment is the key in reducing the mortality.