Background and Objectives-POISONING due to drugs and CHEMICALs is influenced to a large extent by the population’s socioeconomic and cultural status. The purpose of our study was to determine and present the pattern of POISONING with drugs and CHEMICALs in 2 POISONING referral centers in Gilan province, northern Iran, and to analyze medical and social parameters involved. Methods-This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 1215 cases of POISONING (with drugs and CHEMICALs) who were hospitalized in 2 POISONING referral centers, namely, Razi and 17-Shahrivar Hospitals in Rasht during a three-year period. Chi-square and a values were considered for the statistical analysis. Results-Five-hundred and twenty-six of the POISONING cases (25%) were children and 1625 cases (75%) were adults. POISONING was most common in the 15-64 years age group and in women. In order of frequency, the three most common causes of POISONING in adults were organophosphorous compounds, rat-killers, tranquilizers and anticonvulsants, and in children they were kerosene oil, detergents, and metoclopramide. The fatality rate was 1-4%. A significant statistical relationship (p<0.05) was noted between the type of poison and patient’s age, sex, occupation, residence (village/city), cause of POISONING (intentional/ accidental) and season in which the POISONING occurred. Conclusion-It was seen that women between 15-64 years of age were more prone to suicidal POISONING with organophosphorous compounds in spring and summer and children of 1-4 years of age were more susceptible to accidental POISONING with kerosene oil and its derivatives in the spring. The fatality rate of this study was higher as compared to other cities in Iran and other industrialized countries. It is thus recommended that more preventive measures be taught to the general population.

Background: Acute POISONING is a major public health problem in Bangladesh. It is a common method for suicide. A clear picture regarding clinical presentation, most commonly used toxic agents, background factors and outcome of poisoned patients is necessary in every region. The aim of this study was to investigate frequency and outcome of acute pharmaceutical and CHEMICAL POISONING cases in Northern Bangladesh.Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study on poisoned patients with 18 years of age and above who were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital during 1st December 2011 to 30th November 2012.Results: During the study period, a total of 956 patients were investigated. Males slightly outnumbered females (51.6%). The majority of patients (92%) were in the 18-40 year age-group. Regarding occupation, housewives were the most frequent (33.6%) followed by farmers (31.7%) and students (20.9%). Organophosphate compounds (OPC) were the most commonly used toxic agents (73.5%). Most of POISONING cases occurred following suicidal attempts (88%). Familial disharmony was the main cause of suicidal attempts (92.3%). Univariate Analysis showed that age less than 40 years, being married, living in rural areas and educational attainment below secondary level were significantly associated with an increased risk of POISONING (P<0.001).Conclusion: All tertiary hospitals should be well equipped with antidotes of OPCs and other supportive treatments in Bangladesh.Furthermore, strong rules must be applied to prevent the distribution of benzodiazepines without prescription. In addition, people with age of less than 40 years, housewives and farmers, rural residents and those with less educational attainment should be targeted for prevention and educational programs against deliberate self-POISONING.

Background: Given that POISONING patterns vary by region and no comprehensive data exist on CHEMICAL/drug-induced rhabdomyolysis in Yazd province (Iran), this investigation was conducted to assess rhabdomyolysis incidence among patients with drug or CHEMICAL POISONING.Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients with CHEMICAL or drug POISONING in Shah Vali (Yazd) and Shahid Beheshti (Taft) Hospitals,  Iran, from March 2015 to 2020. All data were extracted from medical records. Results: Among 7800 patients with POISONING, 788 individuals (10.1%) were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. The predominant drug POISONING agents causing rhabdomyolysis were methadone, with 327 cases (41.5%), and benzodiazepines, with 80 cases (10.1%). The most common CHEMICAL POISONING agent was lead, occurring in 18 cases (2.28%). Acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring dialysis and death occurred in 96 (12.2%) and 55 (7%) patients, respectively. Methadone was associated with the highest frequencies of death and AKI requiring dialysis, accounting for 23 (41.8%) and 41 (42.7%) cases, respectively. A significant relationship was found between death and AKI requiring dialysis (P=0.002).  Conclusion: The frequency of rhabdomyolysis was approximately 10%, with a 7% mortality rate among affected patients. Rhabdomyolysis was more frequently associated with drug POISONING than CHEMICAL POISONING, with methadone and benzodiazepines being the most frequently causative agents. Notably, methadone POISONING was associated with significantly higher rates of both AKI requiring dialysis and mortality. Moreover, AKI necessitating dialysis was identified as a significant predictor of mortality in these patients.

Background: Hormonal changes as a factor influencing the emotional state of women have an important role in the incidence of suicide. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in FSH-LH, Estrogen, and Progesterone hormones in women attempting suicide by drugs and CHEMICALs.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, women of reproductive diagnosed with drug and CHEMICAL POISONING who were hospitalized in Farshchian Hospital, Hamadan, Iran, were assessed regarding LH, FSH estrogen and progesterone hormones over a period of six months in 2011. Overall, 80 patients were studied with regard to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: The highest rate of suicide was in the age range of 14-25 years (47 patients, 60.1%). A significant relationship was observed among the blood levels of hormones FSH, LH, progesterone, and estrogen. The association of hormone levels and LMP and attempted suicide was significant. The LH level was significantly lower in patients with substance abuse. The estrogen level was significantly lower in patients with the history of self-injury. Most patients (67.5%) were in the follicular phase which was statistically significant.Conclusion: According to the obtained results, there was a significant relationship between the levels of different hormones. The significant relationship was positive in some cases but negative in other.

Background: To study the pattern of acute CHEMICAL and pharmaceutical POISONING in Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India.Methods: This was a prospective study of patients with CHEMICAL and pharmaceutical POISONING who were admitted to the emergency department of Civil Hospital Ahmadabad, from 1st October 2006 to 30th September 2007. Socio-demographic details, intention of POISONING, type of poison, duration of hospitalization and outcome were recorded in a data checklist.Results: In total, 366 cases were studied over one year. Of these, 70.8% were male. The majority (45.08%) of cases had 21 to 30 years of age.71.6% of cases lived in rural area and 28.4% of cases lived in urban area. The most common type of poison was pesticides in 33.9% of cases, followed by household CHEMICALs in 26.8% of cases. In 74.6% of cases, intention of POISONING was self-harm.Case fatality rate among the patients was 18.6% while this index in patients poisoned with household CHEMICALs was the highest (19.9%) followed by pesticides (17.7%).Conclusion: The prevention and treatment of POISONING with pesticides and household CHEMICALs should merit high priority in the health care of Gujarat population. A specific concern should be raised toward pesticides availability and terms of sale. A national concern should be raised toward providing more laboratory and diagnostic facilities in hospitals in India.

Background: Nowadays with advancement of technology, the number of occupational POISONING cases are on the increase and every year hundreds of workers lose their jobs because of occupational POISONING. Objective: To determine the variety of occupational POISONING in detergent and CHEMICAL plants in Alborz industrial city of Qazvin. Methods: Using check list, health files of 32.50 employees of Toolypers, Behdad and Shimi Keshavarz plants were examined (1991-1992). Findings: 323 employees (9.93%) had occupational POISONING of which the most prevalent cases (48.9%) were respiratory and the least prevalent ones (14.24%) were of skin. Conclusion : This study indicated the high prevalence of occupational POISONING especially in workers (89.47%) & necessitates health officials & plants owners" care about occupational health regulations & standards.

Hematopoiesis could be affected by mustard gas. The present research was carried out on a group of CHEMICAL veterans who were exposed to mustard gas. We randomly selected 348 CHEMICAL veterans randomly and compared their cell blood counts and peripheral blood smears (PBS) with 377 healthy men. WEC and RBC parameters of 57 veterans compared with their previously recorded results obtained five years ago as well. The samples included absolute components of white and red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, MCV, MCH and morphology of blood cells. The average number of RBC and hemoglobin of veterans comparing with controls have no meaningful differences, but in regards to previous counting, they were increased. WBC count, neutrophils and lymphocytes were less than control group. Twenty cases with atypical lymphocytes in their PBS have been found. Decrease in neutrophil count and increase in the number of neutropenia and also changing in red blood cells and lymphocyte shape may be related to committed stem cell involvement. Further studies on bone marrow cells and cell markers are needed to document this hypothesis.      

OBJECTIVE: It is important to pay attention to POISONING conditions that have special role in our life. This study was done to investigate the mortality rate induced by acute CHEMICAL and drug POISONING in Loghman Hakim hospital (Tehran) during 1997-1998. METHODS: During this interval, 35580 Patients who were over 12 years old, were admitted and their information were registered on questionnaires and then analyzed. FINDINGS: 53% of cases were outpatients and 47% were hospitalized. From all of 35580 patients, 346 patients (0.97%) that 71% of them were male died and the causes of their POISONING were intentional, incorrect use, accidental, unknown and occupational in 57.5%, 35%, 5%, 2% and 0.5% of cases respectively. The most common causes of death induced by POISONING were as follows: opiate compounds (39.5%), drugs (21.7%), pesticides (17.3%), unknown (7.8%), depilatory compounds (6.6%), alcohol (3%), cyanide and carbon monoxide (2.6%), bites (0.6%), corrosive agents (0.6%) and poisonous plants (0.3%). About 16.5% of dead cases were in emergency or before reaching to the hospital. The main cause of mortality was delay in referring to hospital and respiratory insufficiency so that 51% of cases were referred to the hospital 6 hours after development of POISONING. CONCLUSION: Providing the necessary facilities for transfer of patients to emergency centers, providing equipment and antidotes, gathering suitable information and medical personnel can be effective in reducing of mortality rate.  

Background and Objectives: Acute POISONING is an important medical emergency and in some cases one of the causes of death. This study evaluates pattern of deaths due to the drug and CHEMICAL POISONING. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of all the patients who were referred to Farshchian Hospital poison center in Hamadan, Iran over a period of two years from 2005 to 2007 and had died due to POISONING complications. The information from this study (demographic data, clinical signs and toxicological tests) was gathered and analyzed by using T and chi-square tests.Results’: From 2920 patients who were referred to hospital due to POISONING, 111 (3.8%) patients died due to POISONING complications. The mortality rate in males was higher than females (M:F: 5:1). The average age was 40.5 years, and most of the mortalities were seen among the age range of 21-30 years. Deliberate self POISONING was found to be the most frequent cause of death (52.2%) with the female: male ratio of 2:1(p=0.001). Opium and opium derivatives were the most common cause of death (45.9%). Pulmonary complications were the most frequently cause of death (56.7%).Conclusions: The results show high frequency of using opium and opium derivatives in suicide in Hamadan, Iran. This data suggest that opium and opium derivatives are easily accessible to general population.