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Objectives Intoxication with novel psychoactive drugs poses a significant challenge for medicine due to diagnostic difficulties, complex clinical patterns resulting from the polyethiology of poisoning, and the risk of fatal complications. Material and Methods The authors of the present work have made a retrospective review of medical records of the patients hospitalized at the Toxicology Unit (TU), diagnosed with poisoning by novel recreational drugs. Results In 2008–2013, 576 patients diagnosed with that type of poisoning were admitted to the TU. Of those, 192 (33.3%) patients were positive for ethanol in addition to the most popular toxins found in the material collected from the patients, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (50 [8.6%] patients) and amphetamine (35 [6.1%] patients). The most frequent clinical symptoms observed on admission were: anxiety (433 [75.1%] patients), agitation (275 [47.7%] patients), and complaints associated with the circulatory system (225 [39.1%] patients). In the subgroup of 104 (18.0%) psychiatrist-interviewed people, a relationship was found between the suicidal ideation reported during history-taking and the following factors: earlier psychiatric treatment (p = 0.000), financial problems (p = 0.015) and prolonged unemployment (p = 0.022). Conclusions The observed clinical pattern may be associated with sympathomimetic syndrome due to poisoning by novel psychoactive substances. Preliminary results of this research show that financial problems and a history of psychiatric treatment may enhance suicidal ideation in patients after acute poisoning by psychoactive substances. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(4):445–55

Objectives The aim of the research was to analyze the nature of changes and tendencies observed in the frequency, circumstances and causes of acute intentional poisonings within the agglomeration of Łódź, Poland. The study related to adults. Material and Methods As the research material, medical records of patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning in the Department of Toxicology in Łódź were used. Information on the hospitalized patients was gathered in the database created in accordance with the assumed criteria and an approved system of the collection of variables describing the issues of intentional acute poisonings. Results In the analyzed period, within the group of 18 918 adult patients hospitalized due to an acute poisoning, male patients prevailed, accounting for 57.17% of the whole group. Intentional poisonings constituted 40.19% of all poisonings, with women dominating within that group of patients – accounting for approximately 58.63%. The largest group was formed by young people, 18–35 years old, accounting for 43.22%. The average age of the intentionally poisoned patients showed an upward tendency; this tendency concerned women to a larger extent. Medications played the most powerful role in acute intentional poisonings. Within the whole population, they were responsible for 97.27% of intoxications. The analysis of the dynamics of changes in the percentage of patients referred for further mental treatment revealed that the number of patients continuing hospital treatment in psychiatric wards tended to grow. Conclusions Observations indicating that women are more likely to attempt intentional poisoning, and that the number of patients with psychiatric disturbances tended to grow in the analyzed period, demonstrate an urgent need for preventive measures to be taken in the local communities. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(1):77–90

Background Acute pesticide poisonings constitute an important toxicological problem in numerous countries. This report refers to patients treated for poisonings at the Toxicology Unit, Łódź, Poland, in the period 2004−2014. Material and Methods Data to be analyzed were obtained from medical records of hospitalized people. A group of 24 301 patients aged ≥ 15 were selected. In the group of 149 people poisoned with pesticides (0.61% of all poisoning cases), there were 40 women and 109 men. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of age on suicide attempts using pesticides. Results Suicide attempts significantly more frequently concerned younger people. In this type of behavior, coumarin derivatives were significantly more often used than organophosphorus compounds or pesticides classified as “others.” The patients with suicidal pesticide poisonings stayed in the ward significantly longer than those poisoned unintentionally. Conclusions In the analyzed population inhabiting an area with a high degree of urbanization, in terms of the place of residence and employment, pesticide poisonings were more common in men than in women. Suicide attempts using pesticides more frequently concerned younger people. Information found in this study may prove useful for education purposes, and also in informing clinicians. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):655–67

Objectives: The aim of this study has been to assess the characteristics of acute poisoning deaths in Poland over a period of time 2009–2013. Material and Methods: The analysis was based on the data obtained from the patient records stored in toxicology departments in 6 cities – Łódź, Kraków, Sosnowiec, Gdańsk, Wrocław and Poznań. Toxicological analyses were routinely performed in blood and/or urine. Major toxic substances were classified to one of the following categories: pharmaceuticals, alcohol group poisonings (ethanol and other alcohols), gases, solvents, drugs of abuse, pesticides, metals, mushrooms, others. Cases were analyzed according to the following criteria: year, age and gender of analyzed patients, toxic substance category and type of poisoning. The recorded fatal poisonings were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases. Results: The record of 261 deaths were retrospectively reviewed. There were 187 males (71.64%) and 74 females (28.36%) and the male to female ratio was 2.52. Alcohol group poisonings were more frequently responsible for deaths in men compared to all poisonings, 91.1% vs. 71.6%, respectively (p < 0.05), and pharmaceutical agents were more frequently responsible for deaths in women, 47.4% vs. 28.4%, (p < 0.05). Methanol was the most common agent in the alcohol group poisonings, accounting for 43.75% (N = 49), followed by ethylene glycol, 39.29% (N = 44), and ethanol, 16.96% (N = 19). Conclusions: Epidemiological profile data from investigation of poisoning deaths in Poland may be very useful for the development of preventive programs. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):897–908

Poisoning is considered a significant health problem among elderly people in Poland. This report refers to patients treated for poisonings at the Toxicology Unit, Lodz, Poland, during the period 2008–2012. The data to be analyzed were obtained from medical records of elderly people. A group of 1167 patients aged 60+ was selected. The number of intentional poisonings in the group of patients was 417, which accounted for 35.7% of all poisonings among the elderly people. Patients attempting intentional poisonings included 301 (72.2%) women and 116 (27.8%) men. The most common cause of intentional poisonings were drugs—96.6% (n = 403). Benzodiazepines (46.9%) dominated among the intentional poisoning by drugs. During the analyzed 5 years, 80.3% (n = 335) were suicidal poisonings and 19.7% (n = 82) were demonstrative poisonings. Cardiovascular disease, which was diagnosed among 53.5% of the patients, was the most common physical illness. In conclusion, drugs are the most frequent type of the toxic agent responsible for poisoning cases among the elderly people. In this situation, the role of family doctors is very important: they should prescribe medicines in amounts not greater than absolutely necessary and maybe more often recommend psychiatric care for the elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute poisonings in children pose real challenge in the clinical toxicology. Aim of the study: Analysis of cases of acute poisoning in children under 14 years of age between 2001-2010. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of the files from The National Poison Information Centre in Lodz. Results: In the analysed period of time, most patients below of 14 years of age were poisoned with medications, pesticides and corrosives. Most cases of poisoning due to medications were caused by analgesic, antipyretic and antirheumatic drugs. Corrosives and solvents were the most common household products responsible for poisoning in children under 14 years of age. Poisoning with coumarin derivatives was the most common cause of hospitalization. Conclusions: We believe that the presented analysis will encourage activities aimed at poisoning prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute pesticide poisonings constitute an important toxicological problem in numerous countries. This report refers to patients treated for poisonings at the Toxicology Unit, Łódź, Poland, in the period 2004-2014., Material and Methods: Data to be analyzed were obtained from medical records of hospitalized people. A group of 24 301 patients aged ≥ 15 were selected. In the group of 149 people poisoned with pesticides (0.61% of all poisoning cases), there were 40 women and 109 men. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of age on suicide attempts using pesticides., Results: Suicide attempts significantly more frequently concerned younger people. In this type of behavior, coumarin derivatives were significantly more often used than organophosphorus compounds or pesticides classified as "others." The patients with suicidal pesticide poisonings stayed in the ward significantly longer than those poisoned unintentionally., Conclusions: In the analyzed population inhabiting an area with a high degree of urbanization, in terms of the place of residence and employment, pesticide poisonings were more common in men than in women. Suicide attempts using pesticides more frequently concerned younger people. Information found in this study may prove useful for education purposes, and also in informing clinicians. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):655-67., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Unlabelled: The purpose of the research was to present the analysis of acute alcohol poisonings (ethanol, methanol, ethylene glycol, isopropanol) in Toxicology Unit (TU), Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM), Lódź, Poland., Materials and Methods: To further analysis were chosen all cases, whose were coded according to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision., Results: There were 10,936 acute poisonings in the analyzed period of time 2007-2012 years, 3,088 of them referred to alcohol poisonings (28%). The largest group of patients included cases with ethanol intoxication (2,883 subjects), the second and third one-cases with methanol and ethylene glycol poisonings (99 and 98 respectively), 8 cases were poisoned with isopropanol. The largest group of patients includes cases at age less than 30 years. Patients at age above 60 years formed the lowest group among the total number of poisonings. Most of the admitted cases were men (2,417 patients) and cases hospitalized due to ethanol abuseladdiction (93%). Ethylene glycol poisonings constituted the leading cause of deaths (10 subjects)., Conclusions: The study shows, that intoxications with alcohols are a big problem in NIOM and the number of alcohol poisonings markedly increased in the years 2007-2012.

Introduction: Intoxication poses significant challenge for medical staff due to diagnostic difficulties, complex clinical pattern, resulting from polyethiology of poisoning and potential risk of life threatening complications., Objectives: the epidemiology of acute poisonings, observed in Toxicology Unit (TU) in Lodz during the period 2002-201--is the main objective of the study. Authors present their frequency and associated mortality and discuss the structure of poisonings with regard to type and causative agents., Materials: The data used for analysis were drawn from National Poison Information Center in Lodz. They were divided into two groups. The first one comprised informations about patients treated in TU, whereas the second one included cases treated in other hospitals and only consulted by TU staff., Results: Analysis of obtained data showed that medications overdose was the most frequent cause of hospitalization during 2002-2011. Patients between 15 and 30 years constituted the largest group in comparison with total number of poisonings. Medications, alcohols and gases constituted also the leading cause of deaths due to poisoning during the analysed period. Suicidal poisonings composed the largest group in 2002 and 2003 y respectively, whereas poisonings caused by abuse or abuse in the course of dependence were the most frequent in subsequent years.