Acute self-poisoning by herbicidal substances?
Written By : Dr. Nandita Mohan
Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli
Published On 2022-08-31 03:30 GMT | Update On 2022-08-31 08:56 GMT
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We all know that herbicides are chemical substances used to kill plants specifically. Herbicide poisoning may be acute or chronic and poisoning occurs following skin or eye contact, inhalation of spray droplets or vapors, or swallowing of the product. Ingestion of herbicides could be accidental, or intentional to bring self-harm with suicidal intention. In the absence of specific clinical features and diagnostic tests, the diagnosis is completely based upon a reliable clinical history.
Because of widespread availability, ingestion of herbicides with suicidal intention is common in rural India. So with the background of paucity of data and unawareness of physicians, the present study was carried out to create awareness among physicians regarding herbicide poisoning in humans.
In a recent study published in the Journal of the Associations of Physicians of India, researchers aimed to find out the case fatality rate and clinical features of different types of herbicidal poisoning in patients admitted in the Department of Medicine in Midnapore Medical College.
The study was a unicentric, hospital-based, noninterventional, cross-sectional study comprising 50 consecutive patients to estimate the morbidity, case fatality, and clinical features of acute suicidal poisoning of different herbicides used in agricultural fields. Data were collected from history, clinical features, and laboratory findings.
The results of the study showed that Most of the study population were from 26 to 40 years age group followed by 13–25 years age group. Paraquat was ingested by 64%, followed by pretilachlor (20%) and glyphosate (16%).
However, the common symptoms were vomiting (60%), abdominal pain (40%), throat discomfort (26%), oral ulcer (24%), decreased urination (50%), and respiratory distress (30%). In laboratory investigation, 64% patients had deranged liver enzymes, 58% patients had acute kidney injury, and 30% patients had alveolar damage. So, a total of 62% patients were discharged after recovery. Case fatality rate of paraquat was 56.2%, glyphosate was 12.5%, and pretilachlor was nil (0%).
Therefore, based on the findings, the authors concluded that Herbicides like paraquat and glyphosate are associated with high morbidity and case fatality. Paraquat has the highest case fatality rate but pre-emergent herbicide pretilachlor is relatively safe.
Ref:
Sarkar TS, Santra G.A clinico-epidemiological Study of acute Self-poisoning by different Types of herbicidal Substances used in agricultural Fields: A Study from Patients admitted in a Tertiary Care Hospital in West Bengal. J Assoc Physicians India 2022;70(8):23–26.
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