ANALYSIS OF 1,000 CONSECUTIVE CASES OF ACUTE-POISONING IN THE SUBURB OF TOKYO LEADING TO HOSPITALIZATION

We have analyzed retrospectively 1,000 consecutive admissions due to a cute poisonings over 13 years. Total mortality was 27%. Acute poisonin gs due to pesticides, therapeutic drugs and other substances were 518, 332 and 150 cases with mortalities of 51, 1 and 5%, respectively. The most frequent cause of acute poisoning was paraquat/diquat products, whose mortality reached 76% (220 deaths/291 cases). The second most fr equent cause was organophosphate/carbamate products with a mortality o f 24% (37/155) When these 2 pesticides are excluded, the mortality was only 3% (15/554). To reduce instances of paraquat/diquat poisoning, d ilution of the available product or formulation in other than liquid f orm would be desirable, because no effective treatment is currently av ailable. In cases of organophosphate/carbamate poisoning, early hospit alization and stabilization is crucial.