Depilatory Agents intoxication and factors contributing to its mortality: a 9-year review.

Poisoning with depilatory agents is a rather uncommon entity in western countries. In this study, we describe poisoning with a corrosive arsenic-based depilatory agent (CABD) and factors related to its mortality in a poisoning center in Tehran. In a retrospective study, the medical records of all patients with CABD intoxication who attended the emergency ward of Loghman-Hakim hospital, the only poisoning center in Tehran, over a 9-year period between 2000 and 2009 were reviewed. The majority of patients were men (78.7%, n = 122 vs. women: 21.3%, n = 33). The mean age was 35.55 ± 16.68 years. Mean time of arrival to hospital was 3.63 hours (SD = 4.07). The mortality rate was 5.8% and increased significantly with higher amounts of ingestion and delay in arrival to hospital. CABD poisoning may be lethal if not treated promptly and correctly. Restriction or, if not practical, reduction of harmful components of this substance should be considered.