Prevalence and pattern of acute organophosphate poisoning at a tertiary care center in Western Nepal

Background: Organophosphate (OP) poisoning is a pressing public health concern, particularly in develpoing nations like Nepal. A notable research gap exists regarding the prevalence and characteristics of OP poisoning in Western Nepal. Methods: This retrospective hospital-based study was conducted in a tertiary care center of Western Nepal. After obtaining ethical clearance (UCMS/IRC/116/22), medical records were comprehensively reviewed for the period from June 2020 to August 2022. Of total 317 poisoning cases, 131 were identified as OP poisoning. Fourteen cases were excluded due to inadequate or missing reports. Socio-demographic and clinical details including type of compound, time of arrival, comorbidities, immediate symptoms, and complications were noted. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: The prevalence of OP poisoning was 36.9%, with a slight female preponderance (51.3%) and a significant proportion being married (69.2%). The median age was 27 years, with higher incidents occurring during summer season (38.5%). All administrations were via the oral route with suicidal intent being the major reason (90.6%). Chlorpyriphos was the most used OP compound (57.3%). The median hour of presentation to the hospital was 6 hours. Most patients experienced immediate symptoms of vomiting (86.3%) followed by frothing and hypersalivation. Intermediate syndrome was observed in four patients. The mortality rate was 12%. Conclusions: Women, individuals in their late twenties, and married individuals exhibited a higher prevalence of OP poisoning, primarily associated with suicidal motivations. Enforcing strict regulations on the pesticide distrbution could play a pivotal role in mitigating the prevalence of such incidents.