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. 2015 Dec 11;15(Suppl 2):S2. doi: 10.1186/1471-227X-15-S2-S2

Table 1.

Characteristics and outcomes of acute poisoning patients in Pakistan from November 2010 to March 2011 in seven major tertiary care Emergency Departments of Pakistan

Variables n %
Age (n = 211)
< 5 years 4 1.9
5-14 years 21 10.0
15-24 years 58 27.5
25-44 years 87 41.2
45-64 years 34 16.1
65+ years 7 3.3

Gender (n = 217)
Male 148 68
Female 69 31.8

Mode of arrival (n = 197)
Ambulance 14 7.1
Non ambulance 183 92.8

Type of hospital (n = 233)
Public hospital 223 95.7
Private hospital 10 4.3

Intent of injury (n = 135)
Unintentional 68 50.4
Self-poisoned 26 19.3
Poisoned by someone else 41 30.4

Types of services used and reasons for discharge* (n = 181)
Only ED (proper discharge) 63 34.8
Ward admission 20 11.0
ICU/HDU admission 1 .6
Observation unit 19 10.5
Follow-up 58 32.0
Died 12 6.6
Others(LAMA/LWBS/Referred out) 8 4.4

Type of care provider*(n = 193)
Paramedic 84 43.5
House officer/intern 72 37.3
PG trainee/Resident 19 9.8
Medical Officer 132 68.4
Nurse/midwife 129 66.8
Attending physician 5 2.6

Category of Poison ingested (n = 233)
Drug/Medicine 63 27.0
Alcohol 39 16.7
Chemicals/Gases and Vapours 102 43.8
Food/Plants 14 6.0
Others 15 6.4

LAMA = Left against medical advice

ICU/HDU= Intensive care unit/High Dependency Unit

LWBS = Left without being seen

*(Multiple response variable)