Przyczyny występowania zatruć u pacjentów leczonych na oddziale toksykologii
Causes of poisoning in patients treated on a toxicology ward

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Acute poisonings frequently result in hospitalization and pose a major health problem. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and causes of poisoning in patients on a toxicology ward and to determine the factors associated with poisoning. Material and methods: This was a retrospective study. Data of 759 patients aged 15–91 years hospitalized in the Department of Toxicology and Internal Medicine with the Detoxification Subdivision of the Ludwig Rydygier Hospital in Krakow underwent statistical analysis. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. The former included age, sex, marital status and place of residence, while the latter included the type of poisoning (accidental, intentional: no suicidal tendencies, suicide), the type of substance causing poisoning, the number of days of hospitalization, participation in psychotherapy, the number of hospitalizations due to poisoning, and comorbidities. Results: The mean age of the hospitalized patients was 44.7 ± 14.5 years. The majority were patients who had poisoned themselves intentionally (88%) – one in five patients had attempted suicide (most often with drugs – 59.4%). 12% of patients had been poisoned accidentally (the main cause was gases – 50%). Alcohol, on the other hand, used as a poisoning substance deliberately by 82.8% of patients without suicidal tendencies. The probability of intentional poisoning was significantly higher among males (ß = 0.624; p = 0.013), while being single / unmarried (ß = -1.097; p = 0.002) or a widower / widow (ß = -2.219; p < 0.001) decreased the probability in comparison with married people. Moreover, as the age of patients increased, the probability of intentional poisoning decreased slightly (ß = -0.022; p = 0.032). Conclusions: The most common type of poisoning was intentional poisoning caused by alcohol addiction. Among the poisonings of suicidal etiology, drug poisoning dominated, while accidental poisoning was caused by gases.

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