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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: Paraquat (PQ), a toxic herbicide, is characterized by multi-organ failure, which can induce significant mortality and morbidity. In this research, the factors related to PQ poisoning have been investigated in the Ahvaz Province of Iran.
Methods: Demographic and clinical presentation data were collected and evaluated in individuals referred to the poisoning section of Razi Hospital, Iran, 2009-2015. In order to assess factors related to PQ poisoning, an individual questionnaire was developed. Physicians treated two hundred seven patients (61.35% men and 38.65% women) with PQ poisoning. All patients received vitamin C (3 g/day), vitamin E (200-4000 mg/day), NAC (20 mg/kg IV infusion stat then 50 mg/kg q12), and pulse therapy. Activated Charcoal (AC) and dialysis applied for 62.31% and 22.22% of patients, respectively.
Results: The mean age of cases was 24.06 ± 8.31 years, and the majority of them (43.20%) were 10-20 years of age. The most common on-admission clinical findings of the patients (63.28%) were nausea, vomiting, and pain. The rate of suicide was 91.78%, and the overall mortality rate was 17.87%. Death was significantly higher in patients with respiratory distress (12.56%, P<0.001), renal dysfunction (9.66%, P<0.001), and hepatic dysfunction (7.24%, P<0.002). In patients who received intubation, pulse therapy, dialysis, AC, and NAC, 85%, 82.12%, 52.17%, 89.92%, and 83.09% of the cases have been recovered and discharged from hospital, respectively.
Conclusion: Knowing about the clinical presentation, evaluation, and treatment options for PQ poisoning is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality in these cases. The main way to manage PQ poisoning, as in the past, mainly has supportive care.
© 2021 Rahmani A, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Language: en |