RESUMO
To study the socio demographic pattern and mode of presentation of organophosphorous intoxication in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study was conducted in the department of Medicine, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur from April 2000 to March 2003. Descriptive study. One hundred and forty three cases of organophosphorous compound poisoning, admitted through the emergency department, were evaluated in the study. In all the cases a previously established clinical and therapeutic protocol was applied and the outcome was recorded. Seventy-eight [54.54%] patients were male, Sixty five [45.45%] were female with the mean age of 25.04 years. One hundred and eleven [77.62%] cases were attempted suicides and 32 cases [22.37%] were due to accidental events. Mean age was 22.1 years in the 111 suicidal cases [77.62%] and 78 [70.27%] of them were less than 24 years. Among the suicide attempts, 63 [56.75%] were female patients. The attempted suicide proportion was 61.53% in men and 96.92% in women. Sixty six per cent of cases were illiterate and 47.55% of the patients were in the lower middle socioeconomic status. The patients' mean arrival time to the hospital after poisoning was 2.1 +/- 6.01 hours. Exposure routes were gastrointestinal in 111 patients [77.62%], respiratory in 8 patients [5.59%], dermal in 10 patients [6.99%] and both dermal and respiratory in 14 [9.79%]. Death of 10[6.99%] patients was related to either the ingestion of higher doses or delay in approaching the hospital for emergency management. Causes of poisoning [suicide vs non-suicide] and time interval between poisoning to arrival at hospital were major determinants of lethality. These findings call for a shift in emphasis in educating the masses towards first-aid care for intoxication