Arterial Blood Gas as a Prognostic Tool in Organophosphorus Poisoning Patients – A Prospective Observational Study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Organophosphorus (OP) compounds constitute a heterogeneous category of chemicals specifically designed forthe control of pests, weeds, or plant diseases. Intentional ingestion of OP pesticides has been common and now the preferredform of poisoning due to its easy access in central and Southern parts of India. This predominantly occurs in rural communities.As a result of widespread use, OP poisoning is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.Aim: This study aims to access the arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis as a prognostic prediction tool in OP poisoning patients.Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study from February 2017 to March 2018, out of 114 patients who presented tothe emergency department, 14 patients were excluded from the study and the remaining 100 patients were included in the study.Results: Males were the most predominant group in OP ingestions in this study. In 29% of patients, the ABG interpretationwas normal and metabolic acidosis in the initial ABG had a mean intensive care unit (ICU) stay value of 12.92; respiratoryacidosis had a mean ICU stay value of 12.36; mixed acidosis had a mean ICU stay value of 9.33; respiratory alkalosis had amean ICU stay value of 5.37; metabolic alkalosis had a mean ICU stay value of 4.66. P-value was calculated and found to bestatistically significant. Moreover, it was also found that the patients who presented with extreme acidosis (≤7.1) had increasedmean ICU stay value (17.5).Conclusion: This study concludes that ABG analysis at the initial presentation could help in assessing the prognosis of OPpoisoning patients much earlier, which could help in intensifying the management.