A Study on Organophosphate Poisoning Patients: Comparison of the Survivor Group and Dead Group.
- Author:
Youn Gyu CHOI
1
;
Dong Hyeon LEE
;
Woo Hyung KIM
;
Gang Wook LEE
;
Sun Pyo KIM
;
Seong Jung KIM
;
Soo Hyung CHO
;
Nam Soo CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea. nschoer@naver.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Organophosphate;
Poisoning;
the Survivor;
the Dead
- MeSH:
Acidosis;
Amylases;
Atropine;
Blood Gas Analysis;
Blood Pressure;
Cholinesterases;
Coma;
Emergencies;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Korea;
Organophosphate Poisoning;
Pseudocholinesterase;
Retrospective Studies;
Survivors;
Tachycardia
- From:Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
2010;8(1):16-23
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Organophosphate insecticide poisoning is common in Korea, but there is no definitive guideline for determining the severity of the poisoning and the predictive factors. Therefore, we evaluated the organophosphate poisoned patients and we divided them into two groups, the survivors and the dead, and the results might be useful for treating organophosphate poisoning patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 68 organophosphate poisoned patients who visited the Chosun University Hospital Emergency Medical Center during a 24-month period from January, 2007 to December, 2008. We made a work sheet of the patients' characteristics and the collected data was analyzed and we compared this data between the survivor group and the dead patient group. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the survivor group and the dead patient group for the mean age, the alcohol intake state and the typically expressed signs. The dead patients had lower blood pressure, tachycardia and a lower Glasgo Coma Score (GCS) score than the survivor group. On the arterial blood gas analysis, the dead patients had more severe acidemia and they had lower saturations. Increased serum amylase levels were found in the dead patients. The survivors' initial and follow up serum pseudocholinesterase activity (after 6~8 days) was significantly higher than that of the dead group. The total amount of atropine injected to patient was less in the survivors than that in the dead patients. CONCLUSION: Old age and expressing the typical intoxication signs, a lower GCS score and blood pressure, showing acidosis on the gas analysis and low serum cholinesterase activity may be useful as poor prognostic indicators for patients with organophosphate poisoning. We suggest that physicians must pay careful attention to the signs and prognostic factors of organophosphate insecticide poisoned patients.
