Clinical outcomes and associated factors of acute poisoning among patients admitted to Hawassa University Comprehensive specialized Hospital, Sidama Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Acute poisoning is a worldwide public health concern as well as a medical emergency that can arise from exposure to high concentrations of any substance that has toxic consequences and manifests within hours of exposure. It’s a common reason for emergency room admission, which leads to mortality and morbidity. Ethiopia is among the countries that don’t have a dedicated toxicology center which is important for treating poison cases. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the Clinical outcomes and associated factors of acute poisoning among patients admitted to Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Emergency Department, Hawassa, Ethiopia from December 2018 to December 2023. Methods: It was a retrospective cross-sectional hospital record-based study of acute poisoning cases admitted to HUCSH ED during the study period. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire, entered, coded and cleaned using Kobo data collection toolbox software and exported to SPSS version 25 software. The data were analyzed for descriptive statistics and statistical analysis was performed using bivariate for those variables having a P value of < .25 multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with the death of acute poisoning cases. The result is presented in the form of tables, figures, and text using frequencies and summary statistics such as mean, SD, median and percentage. The statistical significance was declared at a P value less than 0.05. Result: In this study, a total of 212 acute poisoning cases were retrospectively analyzed. From the total cases majority of the cases were males accounting for 110 (51.9%). With a median age of 22 years the number of deaths in this study was 20(9.4%) at 95% (CI: 6.15%, 14.20%) and organophosphate being the common agent at 66(31.1%) as well as the common agent ascribed to death. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the independent factors associated with death were hospital stay of more than two days [AOR: 1.009(.00, .18)); p-value of: .002]. Conclusion: Patients with acute poisoning had a high fatality rate in poisoning cases. A longer hospital stay of more than 48 hours, the presence of medical complications after admission and in patients who are more than 26 years old were found to be associated with death.