Suicide by poisoning in Pakistan: review of regional trends, toxicity and management of commonly used agents in the past three decades.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the leading mental health crises and takes one life every 40 seconds. Four out of every five suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. Despite religion being a protective factor against suicide, the estimated number of suicides is rapidly increasing in Pakistan. AIMS: Our review focuses on the trends of suicide and means of self-poisoning in the past three decades, and the management of commonly used poisons. METHOD: We searched two electronic databases (PubMed and PakMediNet) for published English-language studies describing agents used for suicide in different regions of Pakistan. A total of 46 out of 85 papers (N = 54 747 cases) met our inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Suicidal behaviour was more common among individuals younger than 30 years. Females comprised 60% of those who attempted suicide in our study sample, although the ratio of completed suicides favoured males. There were regional trends in the choice of agent for overdose. Organophosphate poisoning was reported across the nation, with a predominance of cases from the agricultural belt of South Punjab and interior Sindh. Aluminium phosphide ('wheat pills') was a preferred agent in North Punjab, whereas paraphenylenediamine ('kala pathar') was implicated in deaths by suicide from South Punjab. Urban areas had other means for suicide, including household chemicals, benzodiazepines, kerosene oil and rat poison. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent steps are needed, including psychoeducational campaigns on mental health and suicide, staff training, medical resources for prompt treatment of self-poisoning and updated governmental policy to regulate pesticide sales.

Medical Complications Of Renal Transplant - 2 Years' Experience At Armed Forces Institute Of Urology.

BACKGROUND: Renal transplant is the renal replacement therapy of choice for all patients of chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to analyse the trends of medical complications in renal transplant recipients at our centre. METHODS: it is a prospective cross sectional descriptive study. All the patients undergoing renal transplant at Armed Forces Institute of Urology from September 2013 to September 2015 were included in the study. The patients were followed prospectively till March 2016 and a complete data about their complications and lab investigations was maintained.. RESULTS: This study included a total of 63 patients with a mean duration of follow-up of 14.05 months (SD±4.45). Infective complications as a group are the commonest complication occurring in over 50% of cases followed by haematological complications (17.5%), new onset diabetes after transplant (15.9%) and transplant dysfunction (14.3%) Cardiovascular complications were seen in only 4.8% cases but with high mortality. Gingival hypertrophy was seen in 4.8% cases. CONCLUSIONS: Medical complications are common after renal transplant especially in the early post-operative period. The only way forward is early recognition and aggressive treatment, as delays can cost losses in the form of kidney function, life and higher health care cost.

Tuberculosis versus vasculitis.

Vasculitis (Wegeners Granulomatosis and Microscopic Polyangiitis) and Tuberculosis share many features including constitutional symptoms and respiratory tract involvement. The presence of kidney involvement with new onset azotaemia and active urine sediment support the diagnosis of vasculitis. We describe two cases that were diagnosed to be suffering from tuberculosis and placed on anti-tuberculosis therapy. On further workup they were found to be suffering from pauci- immune glomerulonephritis and recovered well with treatment.