Plain abdominal radiography: a powerful tool to prognosticate outcome in patients with zinc phosphide poisoning.

Abstract

AIM:

To evaluate the clinical features of zinc phosphide poisoning and to investigate whether outcome could be prognosticated based on abdominal radiography on presentation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

All zinc phosphide-poisoned patients who were referred to Loghman-Hakim Hospital between March 2011 and September 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Data regarding patients' demographic characteristics, characteristics of the poisoning, abdominal radiography results, and patients' outcome were recorded.

RESULTS:

In 102 patients, the most common presenting signs/symptoms were nausea and vomiting (60%). Four patients died and another seven had developed complications during their hospitalization (metabolic acidosis, liver abnormalities, or acute renal failure). Nineteen patients had radio-opaque abdominal radiographs, nine of whom had died or developed complications (p = 0.001). Plain abdominal radiography had a sensitivity and specificity of 81% and 89% in predicting the patients' death or further development of complications. The positive and negative predictive values were 47% and 97%, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Plain abdominal radiography is a very good tool for prognostication in patients with zinc phosphide poisoning. Immediate abdominal radiography can help stratify patients into high- or low-risk groups and determine treatment strategies.

• Authors: H Hassanian-Moghaddam, Makhtoom Shahnazi, N Zamani, M Rahimi, H Bahrami-Motlagh, H Amiri
• Journal: Clinical radiology (Clin Radiol) Vol. 69 Issue 10 Pg. 1062-5 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1365-229X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25037147 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Phosphines
• Rodenticides
• Zinc Compounds
• zinc phosphide

Topics

• Acidosis (chemically induced, mortality)
• Acute Kidney Injury (chemically induced, mortality)
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury (mortality)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phosphines (poisoning)
• Poisoning (complications, diagnostic imaging)
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Prognosis
• Radiography, Abdominal (methods)
• Retrospective Studies
• Rodenticides (poisoning)
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Treatment Outcome
• Young Adult
• Zinc Compounds (poisoning)