Development and validation of a novel poisoning agitation-sedation score for predicting the need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in acutely poisoned patients with disturbed consciousness.

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment of disturbed consciousness level (DCL) is crucial for predicting acutely poisoned patients' outcomes. AIM: Development of a novel Poisoning Agitation-Sedation Score (PASS) to predict the need for endotracheal intubation (ETI) and mechanical ventilation (MV) in acutely poisoned patients with DCL. Validation of the proposed score on a new set of acutely poisoned patients with DCL. METHODS: This study was conducted on 187 acutely poisoned patients with DCL admitted to hospital from June 2020 to November 2021 (Derivation cohort). Patients' demographics, toxicological data, neurological examination, calculation of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) score, Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), and outcomes were gathered for developing a new score. The proposed score was externally validated on 100 acutely poisoned patients with DCL (Validation cohort). RESULTS: The PASS assessing sedation consists of FOUR (reflexes and respiration) and GCS (motor) and provides a significantly excellent predictive power (AUC = 0.975) at a cutoff ≤9 with 100% sensitivity and 92.11% specificity for predicting the need for ETI and MV in sedated patients. Additionally, adding RASS (agitation) to the previous model exhibits significantly good predictive power (AUC = 0.893), 90.32% sensitivity, and 73.68% specificity at a cutoff ≤14 for predicting the need for ETI and MV in disturbed consciousness patients with agitation. CONCLUSION: The proposed PASS could be an excellent, valid and feasible tool to predict the need for ETI and MV in acutely poisoned disturbed consciousness patients with or without agitation.

Evaluation of Potential Oxidative Stress in Egyptian Patients with Acute Zinc Phosphide Poisoning and the Role of Vitamin C.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate potential oxidative stress in patients with acute phosphide poisoning and the effect of vitamin C. METHODS: Participants were females and divided into three groups; group I: healthy volunteers group II: healthy volunteers received vitamin C, group III: patients with acute phosphide poisoning received the supportive and symptomatic treatment and group IV: patients with acute phosphide poisoning received the supportive and symptomatic treatment in addition to vitamin C. All the participants were subjected to thorough history, clinical examination, ECG and laboratory investigations were carried on collected blood and gastric lavage samples on admission. Blood samples were divided into two parts, one for measurement of routine investigations and the second part was used for evaluation of malondialdehyde and total thiol levels before and after receiving the treatment regimen. RESULTS: Most of the cases in this study were among the age group of 15-25 years, females, single, secondary school education, from rural areas and suicidal. All vital signs were within normal range and the most common complaint was vomiting and abdominal pain. All cases in this study showed normal routine investigations. The mean MDA levels after receiving treatment decreased significantly in groups II and IV. The mean total thiol levels increased significantly after receiving treatment in groups II and IV. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that vitamin C has a potential benefit due to its antioxidant property on zinc phosphide induced-oxidative stress in acute zinc phosphide poisoned patients.

Immunotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity induced by paints in Egyptian painters.

Associations between painting, sensitization, and respiratory disease have received little attention, despite the extensive use of paint and paint removal products. The objectives of this study were to investigate the possible immunotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity induced by paints in Egyptian painter workers. This study was carried out on 60 adult males. Subjects were designated as controls (n = 30 healthy persons) or paint-exposed workers (n = 30). The controls and workers were then divided into four equal groups (15 individuals/group): Group I, Control group-never smoked; Group II, Smoker controls; Groups III, paint-exposed non-smoking workers; and Group IV, paint-exposed smoker workers. A complete physical examination, chest radiograph, and pulmonary function test (PFT) were performed with each subject. Serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) E and interleukin (IL)-4, -6, and -10, WBC sub-set counts, total numbers of WBC, and leukocyte differentials were also assessed. The pulmonary toxicity due to the paint exposures appeared in the form of allergic manifestations in the respiratory tract, significant reductions in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio and PEF parameters, and a reticular pattern in both lung fields. Immunotoxicity was evidenced by increases in total leukocyte levels, total lymphocytes, CD8(+) T-lymphocytes, B (CD19(+))-lymphocytes, NK (CD3(+)CD16(+)CD56(+)) cells, and eosinophils, as well as a significant decrease in CD4+ T-lymphocyte; there were also significant elevations in serum IgE, IL-4, and IL-6, and a significant reduction in IL-10, levels in these hosts. Based on these results, we assert that repeated paint exposure is associated with pulmonary and immune system toxicities that may lead to an augmentation of allergic diseases.