Table 1.
Studies on commonly used agents for poisoning in Pakistan, by region
| Region | City | Reference | Total cases | Age (mean + s.d./range/ median)^ | Gender, male:female | Poison used | Mortality | Study type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organophosphate (25 articles published) | ||||||||
| North Punjab (5 articles) | Wah Cantta | Bhatti N, et al.48 | 126 | 25.9 ± 9.75 | 48:52 | Drugs 58%, organophosphates 18%, wheat pills 10%, corrosives 6% | – | Descriptive |
| Rawalpindi | Maqbool F, et al.49 | 62 | 23.3 ± 6.1 | 53:47 | Organophosphates | – | Descriptive | |
| Rawalpindia | Khurram M, et al.50 | 85 | 24.35 ± 7.69 | 41:59 | Medicine 53%, organophosphates 21%, corrosives 10% | 2.5% | Descriptive | |
| Mianwalia | Tahir MN, et al.51 | 108 | 11–40 | 78:22 | Toxic substance 36%, pesticides 31%, drug overdose 11% | – | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Naheed T, et al.52 | 114 | 25.89 ± 11.48 | 53:47 | Urban: household toxins and drugs; rural: wheat pills and organophosphates | – | Descriptive | |
| North KPK (3 articles) | Peshawara | Ali Z, et al.53 | 128 | 25.79 ± 11.23 | 40:60 | Organophosphates 31%, benzodiazepine 13%, wheat pills 11% | Total 12–44% | Descriptive |
| Peshawara | Rahim F, et al.54 | 92 | 26.8 ± 13.9 | 40:60 | Medicine 53%, organophosphates 36%, wheat pills 11% | 25% | Descriptive | |
| Peshawar | Bilal M, et al.55 | 50 | 30.88 + 15.72 | 54:46 | Organophosphates | 10% | Descriptive | |
| Interior Sindh (4 articles) | Hyderabad | Shaikh MA.56 | 100 | 37.5 ± 9.5 (43 median) | 78:22 | Organophosphates | 18% | Descriptive |
| Nawabshah | Imran S, et al.57 | 387 | 26.14 ± 10.09 | 63:37 | Organophosphates | 27% | Descriptive | |
| Nawabshah | Faiz MS, et al.58 | 300 | 32 ± 5.2 | 17:83 | Organophosphates | 17% | Descriptive | |
| Jamshoro | Shaikh MA, et al.59 | 200 | 38.4 ± 3.5 (45 median) | 81:19 | Organophosphates | 20% | Descriptive | |
| Urban Sindh (12 articles) | Karachia | Amir A, et al.60 | 2546 | 26.57 ± 11.82 | 51:49 | Organophosphates 46%, off-label products 18%, rat poison 11% | 4% | Descriptive |
| Karachia | Khan NU, et al.61 | 705 | 4–32 (21 median) | – | Drugs 24%, pesticides 15%, household toxins 9% | -- | Descriptive | |
| Karachi | Ahmed A, et al.62 | 248 | 27.28 ± 11.5 | 27:73 | Organophosphates | 14% | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Imtiaz F, et al.63 | 11 925 | 14–22 (20 median) | 34:66 | Organophosphates 62%, kerosine oil 14%, drugs 23% | 18% | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Asghar SP, et al.64 | 40 | 12–56 (30 median) | 20:80 | Organophosphates | Nil | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Bashir F.65 | 374 | 25 ± 10.1 | 62:38 | Organophosphates 47%, corrosives 14%, drugs 23% | -- | Descriptive | |
| Karachi | Ali P, et al.66 | 100 | 28.6 + 9.8 | 68:32 | Organophosphates | 20% | Case Series | |
| Karachi | Ather N, et al.67 | 2708 | – | 51:49 | Organophosphates | 5% | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Turabi A, et al.68 | 3334 | 8–50 (30 median) | 50:50 | Organophosphates 60%, corrosives 13%, rodenticides 7%, kerosine oil 2% | – | Descriptive | |
| Karachi | Hussain AM, et al.69 | 52 | – | – | Organophosphates | 8% | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Jamil H.70 | 1900 | 11–30 | 47:53 | Organophosphates 40%, tranquilisers 21%, sedatives/hypnotics 10% | 5.6% | Descriptive | |
| Karachi | Jamil H.71 | 755 | 11–30 | 40:60 | Organophosphates | – | Descriptive | |
| Balochistan (1 article) | Quetta | Khan NK, et al.72 | 46 | 15–35 | Nil:100 | Organophosphates | – | Descriptive |
| Wheat pills (9 articles published) | ||||||||
| North Punjab (7 articles) | Rawalpindi | Hassan A, et al.73 | 77 | 16–60 | 47:53 | Wheat pills | 33% | Descriptive |
| Kharian | Iftikhar R, et al.74 | 52 | 25.10 ± 5.35 | 48:52 | Wheat pills | 87% | Descriptive | |
| Lahore | Ghazi MA.75 | -- | 25 ± 5 | -- | Wheat pills | 70% | Review | |
| Lahorea | Naheed T, et al.52 | 114 | 25.89 ± 11.48 | 53:47 | Urban: household toxins and drugs; rural: wheat pills and organophosphates | – | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Shoaib S, et al.76 | 107 | 11–60 | 55:45 | Wheat pills 33%, bleach 26%, benzodiazepines 19% | 26% | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Asif A, et al.77 | 1390 | 11–90 | 69:31 | Poison unknown 83%, rat poison pills 4%, wheat pills 3% | – | Descriptive | |
| Sahiwal | Qureshi MA, et al.78 | 110 | 12–40 | 41:59 | Wheat pills | 44% | Descriptive | |
| North KPK (2 articles) | Peshawara | Ali Z, et al.53 | 128 | 25.79 ± 11.23 | 40:60 | Organophosphates 31%, benzodiazepines 13%. wheat pills 11% | Total 12–44% | Descriptive |
| Peshawara | Rahim F, et al.54 | 92 | 26.8 ± 13.9 | 40:60 | Medicine 53%, organophosphates 36%, wheat pills 11% | 25% | Descriptive | |
| Kala pathar (11 articles published) | ||||||||
| South Punjab (7 articles) | Sahiwal | Akram A, et al.79 | 88 | >14 (92%) | 22:78 | Kala pathar | – | Descriptive |
| Multan | Tanweer S, et al.80 | 122 | 23.21 ± 8.2 | 20:80 | Kala pathar | 28% | Descriptive | |
| Multan | Haider SH, et al.81 | 32 | 21.06 ± 3.25 | 34:66 | Kala pathar | 28% | Descriptive | |
| Bahawalpur | Khan MA, et al.82 | 1258 | 5–63 (21 median) | 65:35 | Kala pathar | 24% | Descriptive | |
| Bahawalpur | Ishtiaq R, et al.83 | 109 | 22 ± 3.4 | 29:71 | Kala pathar | 39% | Descriptive | |
| Bahawalpur | Qasim AP, et al.84 | 109 | 11–60 | 11:89 | Kala pathar | 21% | Descriptive | |
| Rahim Yar Khan | Akbar K, et al.85 | 65 | 24.35 ± 9.8 | 28:72 | Kala pathar | -- | Descriptive | |
| – | - | |||||||
| South KPK (2 articles) | Dera Ismail Khan | Ansari RZ, et al.86 | 503 | 12–39 | 21:79 | Kala pathar | 80% | Descriptive |
| Dera Ismail Khan | Khan H, et al.87 | 38 | 22.08 ± 6.42 | 5:95 | Kala pathar | 47% | Descriptive | |
| Interior Sindh (2 articles) | Hyderabad | Kazi MA et al.88 | 24 | 15–35 | 29:71 | Kala pathar | 42% | Descriptive |
| Nawabshah | Khuhro BA, et al.89 | 16 | 25.87 ± 5.59 | 13:87 | Kala pathar | 38% | Descriptive | |
| Over-the-counter drugs and household chemicals (17 articles published) | ||||||||
| North Punjab (6 articles) | Wah Cantta | Bhatti N, et al.48 | 126 | 25.9 ± 9.75 | 48:52 | Drugs 58%, organophosphates 18%, wheat pills 10%, corrosives 6% | – | Descriptive |
| Rawalpindia | Khurram M, et al.50 | 85 | 24.35 ± 7.69 | 41:59 | Medicine 53%, organophosphates 21%, corrosives 10% | 2.5% | Descriptive | |
| Mianwalia | Tahir MN, et al.51 | 108 | 11–40 | 78:22 | Toxic substances 36%, pesticides 31%, drug overdose 11% | – | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Naheed T, et al.52 | 114 | 25.89 ± 11.48 | 53:47 | Urban: household toxins and drugs; rural: wheat pills and organophosphates | – | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Shoaib S, et al.76 | 107 | 11–60 | 55:45 | Wheat pills 33%, bleach 26%, benzodiazepines 19% | 26% | Descriptive | |
| Lahorea | Asif A, et al.77 | 1390 | 11–90 | 69:31 | Poison unknown 83%, rat poison pills 4%, wheat pills 3% | – | Descriptive | |
| South Punjab (1 article) | Multan | Hashmi MU, et al.90 | 206 | 23.44 + 7.19 | 34:66 | Corrosives | – | Descriptive |
| North KPK (2 articles) | Peshawara | Ali Z, et al.53 | 128 | 25.79 ± 11.23 | 40:60 | Organophosphates 31%, benzodiazepines 13%, wheat pills 11% | Total 12–44% | Descriptive |
| Peshawara | Rahim F, et al.54 | 92 | 26.8 ± 13.9 | 40:60 | Medicine 53%, organophosphates 36%, wheat pills 11% | 25% | Descriptive | |
| Urban Sindh (8 articles) | Karachia | Amir A, et al.60 | 2546 | 4–32 (21 median) | 51:49 | Organophosphates 46%, off-label products 18%, rat poison 11% | 4% | Descriptive |
| Karachia | Khan NU, et al.61 | 705 | 14–22 | – | Drugs 24%, pesticides 15%, household toxins 9% | -- | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Imtiaz F, et al.63 | 11 925 | 25 + 10.1 | 34:66 | Organophosphates 62%, kerosine oil 14%, drugs 23% | 18% | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Bashir F, et al.65 | 374 | 25 + 10.1 | 62:38 | Organophosphates 47%, corrosives 14%, drugs 23% | -- | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Patel MJ, et al.91 | 324 | 36.2 ± 17.0 | 33:67 | Benzodiazepines 55%, NSAIDs/analgesics 11%, antidepressants 10% | Nil | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Turabi A, et al.68 | 3334 | 8–50 | 50:50 | Organophosphates 60%, corrosives 13%, rodenticides 7%, kerosine oil 2% | – | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Khan MM, et al.92 | 447 | 27.50 + 10.62 | 40:60 | Drugs 73% (benzodiazepines 91%) | Nil | Descriptive | |
| Karachia | Jamil H.70 | 1900 | 11–30 | 47:53 | Organophosphates 40%, tranquilisers 21%, sedatives/hypnotics 10% | 5.6% | Descriptive | |
| Miscellaneous (2 articles published) | ||||||||
| North KPK (1 article) | Chitral | Ahmed Z, et al.93 | 168 | 10–50 | 38:62 | Drowning 52%, hanging 26%, gunshot 17%, intoxication 5% | -- | Descriptive |
| Gilgit–Baltistan (1 article) | Ghizer | Khan MM, et al.94 | 49 | 16–>70 Majority 16–35 | Nil:100 | Jumping into a river/lake 40%, intoxication 30%, strangulation 11%, firearm 5% | – | Descriptive |
KPK, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
a.
Studies cited more than once because of multiple toxins/drugs involved.