Interrelations of habitual abortion and lead levels in venous blood and abortuses with drinking water lead level in some Egyptian population

In Egypt, one of the main sources of lead exposure is a network of lead pipes used for water supply. Adverse effects of high lead exposure are well known. Many studies have focused on the health effects of low blood lead levels after sharp decline of its exposure levels. Currently, there is a growing concern about threats posed on pregnancy outcomes among women with low to moderate blood lead levels. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of contaminated water as one source of multifactorial lead exposure chain, and to be acquainted if the currently observed lead levels are associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women in Egypt. The results of this study revealed significant positive correlations between drinking-water lead with both blood lead and abortus lead levels in cases of abortion. Each woman with unexplained spontaneous abortion should be subjected to blood lead estimation. Primary prevention by removing lead from the environment is the only pathway to avoid threats posed on pregnancy outcome since there is no effective remedy to remove lead from the body at levels below 30 microg/dl

Toxicologic suicidal attempts in tanta university poison control center during the period of 2009 to 2011

Suicide is a complex phenomenon that involves every corner of the world. Suicide rates differ between countries and within regions of the same country depending on cultural and psycho-social factors. Poisonings and/or drug overdose are fairly common encountered methods for committing suicide. The present study aimed to highlight causes and circumstances of poisons and drugs suicidal attempts to increase toxicologic awareness and help to decrease number of cases. It was based on patients presentation to Tanta University poison control center from January 2009 to December 2011. Suicide attempters were classified according to age into group A [less than 15 years], group B [16-30 years], group C [315 years] and group D [over 45 years]. They were also grouped according to gender, residence, employment state, number of subjects every year, substances used for suicide, associated psychological diseases and drug abuse. Results of this study revealed a total number of 1780 suicide attempters in the three studied years. Of them 444 [24.9%] were males and 1336 [75.1%] were females, 1395 [78.3%] belongs to age group B, 1314 [73.8%] were single patients and 1420 [79.8%] were non employed. Pesticides, CNS acting drugs and analgesics were most commonly used by suicide attempters. Significant association could be detected between the attempters residence and substances used, where rural suicide attempters showed higher rates of pesticides and urban suicide attempters showed higher rates of CNS acting drugs. Significant association could be noticed between age and gender, a peak is registered in the age group B and between females. Furthermore, significant suicidal association between marital state and gender in suicide attempters could be noticed. This study concluded high rate of suicide attempts between females, 16-30 years old, single, unemployed, the most commonly used substances included pesticides, CNS acting drugs and analgesics. Prevention strategies should be directed toward limiting access to the implicated substances