A study of poisoning cases in emergency Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital.

OBJECTIVE To determine the pattern and severity of poisoning cases in emergency Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital. DESIGN Retrospective observational study. MATERIALS AND METHODS All the poisoning cases due to various agents who attended Emergency from 1st of April 2002 to 30th of March 2003 were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS A total of 67 poisoning cases attended emergency Kathmandu Medical College Teaching Hospital over a period of one year. The overall female to male ratio was 1.09:1. Most poisoning occurred in the age group 21-30 for adults (38.8%) and 2-5 yrs for the children. Organophosphorous was the most common poisoning for the adults where as kerosene was common in children. Oral route was the most common route of administration which accounted 86.57%. Students (35.8%) and housewife (23.3%) were commonly involved in self poisoning. Intentional poisoning comprised 58.2% of all poisonings. CONCLUSION Majority of the intentional poisoning occurred in the female housewife & students of younger age group but accidental poisoning was found common in children under five years mostly with kerosene ingestion.