Background: Poisoning with household chemical products can be attributed to their availability and easy accessibility. Poisoning by many common household products may be associated with the development of various respiratory symptoms. Accordingly, this work was conducted to study and evaluate the pattern and outcome of acute respiratory toxicity caused by common household chemical products exposure in patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Poison Control Center (PCC) Ain Shams University Hospitals.
Method: A hospital-based retrospective study on 149 patients with acute respiratory toxicity related to common household intoxication admitted to ICU of the PCC Ain Shams University Hospitals from April 2011 to April 2012. Data regarding age, sex, data of intoxication, type of toxic agents, clinical and investigational data on admission, management and outcome were recorded and analyzed
Results:Pediatric age represented55.7% of cases and number of females slightly exceeded that of males. Poisoning was predominantly accidental. Toxic agents included cholinesterase inhibitors, hydrocarbons, corrosives, and carbon monoxide. Respiratory distress was the predominant cause for ICU admission. Complete cure was the fate of 75.2% of the cases, while mortality occurred in 16.8% of cases
Conclusions: Household poisoning is still responsible for a considerable number of poisoning and deaths. Preventive strategies adopted at a national level are the key measures to reduce the incidence of poisoning with household chemicals.