• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2015

Purpose: Acute endosulfan poisoning is rare but causes significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of our study is to describe complications and features of seizure and determine factors associated with mortality in acute endosulfan poisoning. Methods: Twenty-eight adult patients with acute endosulfan poisoning admitted to our emergency department during a 15-year period were studied retrospectively. The clinical features of seizure, use of antiepileptic drugs during seizure, and hospital courses were evaluated. Clinical factors between survived group and non-survived group were compared for identification of factors associated with mortality. Results: Of the 28 patients with endosulfan poisoning, 4 patients (14.3%) died and 15 (53.6%) patients developed generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Thirteen patients (46.4%) and 5 patients (17.9%) progressed to status epilepticus (SE) and refractory status epilepticus (RSE), respectively. SE and RSE were associated with mortality. Almost all significant complications including shock, acute renal failure, hepatic toxicity, rhabdomyolysis, and cardiac injury developed in SE and RSE patients. Conclusion: SE and RSE were important contributors to death in endosulfan poisoning. Emergency physicians treating endosulfan poisoning should make an effort not to progress seizure following endosulfan poisoning to SE and RSE using a rapid and aggressive antiepileptic drug.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.123-129
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• 2019

This study selected all patients with acute poisoning carried by the 119 emergency services in K-Province from January 1 to December 31, 2015 for complete enumeration. The subjects were 1,627 patients who were classified as poisoning suspected in chemicals and animal/insect poisoning by Rescue Emergency Activity Information System(Emergency Statistics) in fire-fighting portal system of K-province fire-fighting officers. The 119 activity journals were analyzed retrospectively. The major results are as follows. Regarding the demographic characteristics of the elderly and the non-elderly, the most people were unemployed in the elderly group, other job, the non elderly group about their occupations and in both groups, the most people lived in rural areas about their living places. Regarding the poisoning characteristics of the elderly and the non-elderly, the most causing substance was bee sting about the poisoning causing substances and most of patients didn't get drunken about drunken state in both group. Regarding the time factors of the elderly and the non-elderly, both groups had the most accidents in afternoon about the poisoning time and in summer about the seasonal distribution.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2018

Purpose: The Korean government approved selected nonprescription drugs (Over-The-Counter drug; OTC drug) to be distributed in convenience stores from 15. Nov. 2012. This study examined the changes in the incidence and the clinical outcome of acute pharmaceutical drug poisoning after the deregulation of OTC drug sales. Methods: This study analyzed the data of Emergency Department based Injury In-depth Injury Surveillance (EDIIS), Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2011 to 2014. The following items were examined: age, gender, intention, alcohol association, pharmaceutical drugs resulting acute poisoning, the clinical outcomes in emergency department, and the admission rate of intensive care unit (ICU). This is a retrospective cross section observational study. Results: A total of 10,162 patients were subject to pharmaceutical drug poisoning. Acute poisoning by acetaminophen and other drugs were 1,015 (10.0%) and 9,147 (90.0%) patients, respectively. After the deregulation of OTC drug sales, acute poisoning by other drugs increased from 4,385 to 4,762 patients but acute poisoning by acetaminophen decreased from 538 to 477 patients (p<0.05). The rate of admission of acetaminophen poisoning increased from 36.1% (194/538) to 46.8% (223/477). The admission rate to the ICU by acetaminophen poisoning increased from 4.6% (25/538) to 11.3% (54/477) after the deregulation of OTC drug sales (p<0.05). Conclusion: Since the deregulation of OTC drugs sales, pharmaceutical drug poisoning has increased but acetaminophen poisoning has decreased. The rate of hospitalization and ICU admission by pharmaceutical drug poisoning with or without acetaminophen has also increased.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 1976

It has been well known that indiscriminative use of pesticides contaminates water resources and soil to break down the balance of natural ecosystem and brings acute when spray. In this country, 62,602 tons of pesticides were used in 1974 for agricultural purpose figuring 28.0 kg per hectare which showed 20% increasement every year since 1970. It is almost impossible to figure out incidence and mortality of acute pesticide poisoning exactly. However, a survey in 1974 reported that 33.5% of male and 32.7% of female who sprayed certain pesticides complained of several symptoms seemed to be due to acute pesticide poisoning. It also mentioned that the main cause inducing poisoning supposedly was dusting without protective armamation such as masks, booths, gloves and others in more than 60% of above cases. Pesticide poisoning through contamination of food or direct inhalation and contact. With the reason, the followings can be recommended to minimize or prevent pesticide hazards. 1. Strict legal control 2. Systematic education on the safe handling way of pesticides for the people who are to use them. 3. Remarkable warning at transportation and stocking of pesticides. 4. Obligatory attachment of explanation on the package about effect, safe handling method, and. emergency care at acute pesticide poisoning concerned.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2008

Purpose: Dichlorvos has been in widespread use as an organophosphate (OP) insecticide compound. The purpose of this study was to access the epidemiology and clinical features of dichlorvos in Korea. Methods: This was a 38 multi-center prospective study of dichlorvos poisoning using surveys, a structural reporting system and review of hospital records from August 2005 to July 2006. A total of 54 patients with acute dichlorvos poisoning on a national basis were enrolled. We analyzed the epidemiologic characteristics and clinical manifestations of dichlorvos poisoning. In addition, the clinical features of dichlorvos poisoning were compared with others OP compounds. Results: During the study period, compounds involving pure OP poisoning were dichlorvos (22.7%), methidathion (8.4%), and phosphamidon (6.7%). In acute dichlorvos poisoning, all ingestion routes were oral. Intentional poisoning involved 74.1% of cases. The common initial complaints involved gastrointestinal (64.8%), systemic (61.1%), central or peripheral nervous system (53.7%), and respiratory symptoms (50.0%). The median arrival time to hospital after dichlorvos poisoning was 2.6 hours and mean hospitalization duration was 7.1 days. 2-PAM was administered in 35 patients in mean doses of 6.3 g/day intravenously. Atropine was administered in 30 patients with a mean dose of 62.8 mg/day (maximal 240 mg/day). Overall mortality rate for dichlorvos poisonings were 14.8% (8/54). Immediate causes for death included sudden cardiac arrest or ventricular dysrhythmias (50%), multi-organ failure (25%), acute renal failure (12.5%), and unknown causes (12.5%). Conclusion: When compared to previous reports, dichlorvos poisoning displayed relatively moderate severity. The presence of a lower GCS score, altered mental status, serious dysrhythmias, systemic shock, acute renal failure, and respiratory complications upon presentation were associated with a more serious and fatal poisoning.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2011

Purpose: Incidents of suicide attempt and acute poisoning in the elderly population is rising. This study investigated the clinical nature of acute poisoning and differences between the survival and mortality groups in the elderly. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 325 patients with acute poisoning who visited the emergency department. Patients were divided into two groups, one survival and one death group. Information regarding patient sex, age, root cause of poisoning, time of year of poisoning, type of intoxicant, duration of time between intoxicant ingestion and arrival at the emergency department, total length of hospital stay, and any previous suicide attempts and subsequent hospitalization were collected. An initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and an initial and final Poison Severity Score (PSS) for each patient was calculated. Results: The survival rate for men was higher than for women in this study. The most common reason of drug intoxication was suicide, with accidental ingestion and substance abuse occurring in descending frequency. Seasonal factors were reflected in the data with the highest number of incidents occurring in spring and the lowest number in winter. Compared with the mortality group, the survival group had a lower initial PSS with a higher GCS. Conclusion: We conclude that being female, having suicide as a root cause, agrochemicals as an intoxicant, low initial Glasgow Coma Scale and high initial Poisoning Severity Score, are all associated with poor prognosis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the injury of putative parvalbumin positive interneurons defined by molecular marker and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a marker of neural plasticity following acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Methods: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 1100 ppm CO for 40 minutes followed by 3000 ppm CO for 20 minutes. Animals received daily intraperitoneal injection of NAC (150 mg/kg) for 5 days after CO exposure. Changes in learning and spatial memory were evaluated by Y-maze test 5 days after the poisoning. In vivo LTP in hippocampal CA1 area was evaluated by using extracellular electrophysiological technique. Immunohistochemical staining were adopted to observe expressional damages of parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactive interneurons in the hippocampus following the poisoning. Results: Acute CO intoxication resulted in no changes in memory performance at Y-maze test but a significant reduction of LTP in the in hippocampal CA1 area. There was also a significant reduction of PV (+) interneurons in the hippocampal CA1 area 5 days after CO poisoning. Daily treatment of NAC significantly improved hippocampal LTP impairment and reduced immunoreactivity for PV in the hippocampus following the acute CO poisoning. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that reduction of hippocampal LTP and PV (+) interneurons in the hippocampus is sensitive indicator for brain injury and daily NAC injections can be the alternative therapeutics for the injury induced by acute CO poisoning.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.74-78
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• 2007

The carbamates are a group of insecticides derived from carbamic acid, with a broad spectrum of uses as agricultural and household garden insecticides. Carbamate insecticides are reversible cholinesterase inhibitors. Their inhibitory action is mediated by reversible carbamylation of acetylcholine, as with the organophosphate insecticides. Carbamates are absorbed by the body through multiple routes, including inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption. Although poisoning can result from occupational exposure or accidental ingestion, in most cases there is suicidal intent. This is particularly true in developing countries, where the highest incidence of morbidity and mortality from this cause occurs. Cardiac complications often accompany poisoning by carbamate compounds, which may be serious and often fatal. The extent, frequency, and pathogenesis of cardiac toxicity from carbamate compounds has not been clearly defined. Possible mechanismsinclude sympathetic and parasymphatetic overactivity, hypoxemia, acidosis, electrolyte derangements, and a direct toxic effect of the compounds on the myocardium. Patients with carbamate poisoning should immediately be transferred to an intensive or coronary care unit where appropriate monitoring and resuscitative facilities are available. We here report a case of acute coronary syndrome resulting from acute carbamate ingestionthat resulted in a healthy discharge.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2009

Formic acid or formate is a common industrial compound used in the production of ensilage, disinfectants, decalcifying agents and mainly as a precursor in industrial chemical synthesis. It is also a well-known toxic metabolite produced in methanol poisoning. Thus, formate is a potential source of both accidental and deliberate poisoning. Very few reports have been published thus far, on the toxicology of direct formic acid poisoning. Here, we report a case of a 74-year-old man without a history of depression, who ingested about 30 gm of formic acid. The patient presented with profound high anion gap metabolic acidosis, acute renal failure and esophageal stricture. The patient was successfully treated with hemodialysis and supportive measures. But permanent esophageal stricture was complicated by formic acid burns in the gastrointestinal tract. We discuss the pathophysiology and treatment of this case.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.65-71
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the cause of acute fatal poisoning and the time of death by analyzing the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) of South Korea. Methods: The NEDIS data from 2014 to 2018 excluding non-medical visits were used for this study. The patients with acute poisoning were extracted using diagnostic codes. The toxic substances were classified into pharmaceuticals, pesticides, gases, artificial poisonous substances, and natural toxic substances. Patients were classified according to the time of death, place of death, and region. In each case, the most causative substances of poisoning were identified. Results: There were 380,531 patients including poisoning-related diagnoses, of which 4,148 (1.1%) died, and the WHO age-standardized mortality rate was 4.8 per 100,000. Analysis of 2,702 death patients whose primary diagnosis was acute poisoning, the most common cause of poisoning death was pesticides (62%), followed by therapeutic drugs, gas, and artificial toxic substances. Herbicides were the most common pesticides at 64.5%. The proportion of mortality by time, hyperacute (<6 h) 27.9%, acute (6-24 h) 32.6%, subacute (1-7 d) 29.7%, and delayed period (>7 d) were 9.8%. Conclusion: This study suggests that the most common cause of poisoning death was pesticides, and 60% of deaths occurred within 24 hours. The 71% of mortality from pesticides occurred within 6-24 hours, but mortality from gas was mostly within 6 hours. According to the geographic region, the primary cause of poisoning death was varied to pesticides or pharmaceuticals.