Prevalence, Predictors and Treatment Outcome of Acute Poisoning in Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

Acute poisoning is a common reason for visiting the emergency department (ED) worldwide. However, little is known about this issue in the western part of Ethiopia. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence, predictors, and treatment outcome of acute poisoning at the ED of western Ethiopia.

Patients and Methods

A hospital record-based retrospective study design was conducted on all patients admitted to the ED of the two hospitals between 01 January 2018 to 17 March 2019. Socio-demographic, clinical presentation, medication history, poisoning characteristics, time to hospital arrival, treatment given, and outcome of treatment were collected. All collected data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Backward multiple logistic regression analysis at p-value ≤0.05 tested the predictor for treatment outcome.

Results

The prevalence of acute poisoning was 134/7883 (1.7%) per ED admissions. The mean ±SD age of the study participants was 23.90±10.606 with female to male ratio of 1:1.06. The most vulnerable patients to poisoning were individuals in the age range of 18 to 29 years 68/134 (50.7%) for both genders. Moreover, the most common poisoning agent was organophosphate 72/134 (53.7%). Besides, intentional poisoning was the most common 103/134 (76.9%) manner of poisoning with family disharmony 37/103 (35.9%) as the common reason. The case fatality rate of acute poisoning in the two hospitals was 2/134 (1.5%). The mean ±SD length of hospital stay was 1.86 ±0.943. The independent predictors of poor treatment outcome of acute poisoning were age ≥35 years [p-value= 0.049], female gender [p-value= 0.027], and hospital stay of >48 hours [p-value= 0.035].

Conclusion

The prevalence of acute poisoning in western Ethiopia is higher than the ever-reported data in Ethiopia. Thus, stakeholders should have to pay more attention to prevention and control strategies and appropriate handling of agrochemical substances to minimize their negative effects on this productive age group.

Keywords:

• acute poisoning
• mortality
• treatment outcome
• organophosphate
• predictors
• Ambo

Abbreviations

AGH, Ambo General Hospital; ARUH, Ambo University Referral Hospital; AOR, adjusted odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; ED, emergency department; LMICs, low- and middle-income countries; SD, standard deviation; WHO, World Health Organization.

Data Sharing Statement

All data are presented within the article.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

This study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki principles and was approved by Ambo University, college of medicine and health sciences ethical review committee (phar/136/2011). Informed consent was waived due to the retrospective nature of the study and no effect on the study participants. However, the confidentiality of the data was secured.

Acknowledgments

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the staff of AURH and AGH for their co-operation in providing relevant information.

Author Contributions

Both authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no source of funding for this study.