Background: Acute pesticide poisoning has become a major public health problem world-wide, especially in developing countries like India. Organophosphate poisonings accounts for most of the self-poisoning deaths in southern and central India.

Aim: To study the clinical and demographic profile, risk factors, clinical features, complications and factors modifying the outcome in acute organophosphate poisoning.

Methods: This study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka. The study included all cases of acute organophosphate poisoning who were more than 18 years of age admitted in intensive care unit during the study period from January 2013 to December 2017.

Results: A total of 120 cases of acute OP poisoning were included. The mean age was 39.1± 15.2 years with a M:F ratio of 2.5:1. All cases were suicidal and ingestion was the route of poisoning in all the cases. Poisoning was more common among married population (74.2%), illiterates (58.3%) and farmers (32.5%). History of marital conflict (25%), financial problems (24.2%) and alcohol abuse (29.2%) were common risk factors. Nausea and vomiting (76.7%) was the commonest symptom and bradycardia (29.2%) was the most common physical finding. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was significantly associated with mortality (28.6%).

Conclusions: OP poisoning is a major health problem in the young population especially in developing countries like India. Prompt, early management may help in reducing the complications and improve the outcome in these patients.

Keywords: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, Clinical profile, Organophosphate, Outcome.

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Dr Akshatha Rao Aroor

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