Retrospective evaluation of intoxication cases referred to the emergency department

Purpose: Intoxication cases are among the medical emergencies frequently encountered in emergency departments and constitute a significant problem that threatens public health. This study was conducted to examine intoxication cases admitted to Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Emergency Room and to evaluate for what reasons and how often they occur. Method: In this retrospective study, intoxication cases admitted to Gaziosmanpaşa University Emergency Room and treated in the Level 1 intensive care Emergency Room between 01.08.2011 and 01.08.2022 were included. The statics of the patiens were accessed through the hospital Enlil HMS system, and the patient was recorded in the sociodemographic statics collection form. Statistical analyzes were performed in the IBM SPSS Statistics Version 22 program. Mean ± standard deviation, percentage distributions, dependent sample t test, chi-square test and ANOVA test were used to evaluate the data. p <0.05 was considered statistically significant Results: The number of cases included in our study is 169, 94 of these cases (55.6%) are women, 75 (44.4%) are men, the maximum age of the cases is 85, the minimum age is 12, and the average age is 34.33. The high number of intoxication cases in women indicates that they are a risk group. When the distribution of cases by month was examined, it was seen that June and November were the months with the highest number of intoxication cases with 13.6%, and the month with the least intoxication cases was September with 3.6%. There is a statistically significant relationship between the total score average of former psychiatric diagnosis and the distribution rates of drug categories used in intoxication. (p<0.05) There is a statistically significant relationship between the total score average of the former psychiatric diagnosis and the distribution rates of the factor categories that cause intoxication. (p<0.05) There is a statistically significant relationship between the total score average for the month of hospitalization and the distribution rates of the factor categories that cause intoxication. (p<0.05) When the results were examined, 17 patients (10.1%) refused treatment, 11 patients (6.5%) were hospitalized, 126 patients (74.6%) were admitted to intensive care unit, and 4 patients were referred. (2.4%) and 11 patients (6.5%) who were followed up in the emergency room and discharged without hospitalization. Conclusion: The high demographic distribution of intoxication cases in young adults shows that the young population is more exposed to such risks. In addition, since intoxication management requires a multidisciplinary approach, it is important to raise the awareness of other branches on this point. Key Words: Emergency Department, Intoxication