Table 1.
Descriptive statistics of ciguatera-related calls to poison centers, 2001–2011 [n (%) except where noted].
| Variable | Lower 48 states, PR, USVI true cases (n = 1,102) |
|---|---|
| Sex (male)a | 515 (48.1) |
| Age (years)a | |
| Median [years (IQR)] | 40 (28–51) |
| < 18 | 91 (10.0) |
| 20–29 | 150 (15.3) |
| 30–39 | 211 (21.5) |
| 40–49 | 234 (23.8) |
| 50–59 | 163 (16.6) |
| 60–69 | 87 (8.9) |
| ≥ 70 | 29 (2.9) |
| Regiona | |
| Midwest | 79 (7.2) |
| Northeast | 174 (15.8) |
| Other (PR, USVI, territories, overseas) | 12 (1.1) |
| South | 685 (62.2) |
| West | 152 (13.8) |
| Outcome | |
| Death | 1 (0.1) |
| Major effect | 26 (2.4) |
| Minor effect | 237 (21.5) |
| Moderate effect | 385 (34.9) |
| No effect | 29 (2.6) |
| Not followed, nontoxic exposure | 11 (1.0) |
| Not followed, minor effect | 232 (21.1) |
| Unable to follow, potentially toxic | 139 (12.6) |
| Unrelated effect, exposure probably not responsible | 42 (3.8) |
| Year of calla | |
| 2001 | 70 (6.4) |
| 2002 | 92 (8.4) |
| 2003 | 86 (7.8) |
| 2004 | 72 (6.5) |
| 2005 | 61 (5.5) |
| 2006 | 95 (8.6) |
| 2007 | 116 (10.5) |
| 2008 | 123 (11.2) |
| 2009 | 127 (11.5) |
| 2010 | 137 (12.4) |
| 2011 | 123 (11.2) |
| aNo. of missing values: sex (32), age (223), region (5), year of call (139). | |