TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - A retrospective comparison of the burden of organophosphate poisoning to an intensive care unit in Soweto over two separate periods
JO  - African journal of emergency medicine
A1  - Omar, Shahed
A1  - Bahemia, Imtiaz A.
A1  - Toerien, Lara
A1  - San Pedro, Karyll M.
A1  - Khan, Ayesha B.
SP  - 118
EP  - 122
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
N2  - INTRODUCTION: Organophosphate poisoning (OPP) is a major health-care burden in South Africa. Recently, we have observed that patients admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with OPP have followed a more complicated course in comparison to previous years. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: To describe the differences in the clinical course and costs of patients with OPP between two time periods, namely 2012 and 2017. <br><br>METHODS: Retrospective comparison of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital between January 2012 to December 2012 and January 2017 to December 2017. <br><br>RESULTS: Forty-one patients were found in the database. Patients from our 2017 cohort showed a significantly longer total median (IQR) length of stay 8 (4-17) days vs. 2 (2-3) days, p = 0.000, duration of antidote therapy 5 (3-10) days vs. 2 (2-3) days, p = 0.004 and duration of ventilation 4 (2-11) days vs 1 (1-2) day, p = 0.003. Patients presenting in 2017 were more likely to be admitted to ICU, odds ratio 5.6 (CI 1.2-26). There was a 31- fold increase in ICU costs between 2012 and 2017. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Based on our experience, the clinical course of OPP requiring ICU admission has evolved into a condition with a longer length of stay, duration of antidote therapy, ventilatory support, increased risk of complications and additional costs.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2211-419X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.afjem.2020.09.007
ID  - ref1
ER  -