Rodenticide Poisoning: Critical Appraisal of Patients at a Tertiary Care Center
Ramya Iyyadurai, Shivkumar Gopalakrishnan, Sangeetha Kandasamy
Abstract
IMPORTANCE: Rodenticide poisoning is a common occurrence in India. Of the different classes of rodenticides available, yellow phosphorus is considered highly toxic. There are scarce epidemiological data regarding the ingestion of yellow phosphorus in the subcontinent. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the clinical profile of rodenticide-poisoned patients and delineate mortality predictors. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Study was conducted at the Department of Internal Medicine, Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital. All adult inpatients with a history of rodenticide poison exposure were eligible participants. A total of 99 patients completed the study protocol. MAIN OUTCOME: Survival with or without morbidity and death. RESULTS: = 7) died of fulminant hepatic failure. The mean time for death was 4.22 days since exposure (range 2-8 days). CONCLUSION: Rodenticide poisoning in Southern India is dominated by yellow phosphorus. In this study, we identified delayed resuscitation, jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy, elevation of AST and ALT to >1000 IU/L, metabolic acidosis, and refractory shock as reliable predictors of bad outcome in this patient population. The common mode of death was fulminant hepatic failure. RELEVANCE: Rodenticide poisoning ranks second in mortality hierarchy at our institute, and systematic analysis of this patient population is an urgent need. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Gopalakrishnan S, Kandasamy S, Iyyadurai R. Rodenticide Poisoning: Critical Appraisal of Patients at a Tertiary Care Center. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(5):295-298.