Paraquat poisoning: A retrospective study of 55 patients from a tertiary care center in southern india

Abstract

Background: In India the data on paraquat (PQ) poisoning are limited to case reports and small case series. Hence, this study was carried out to understand the clinical features and outcomes of PQ poisoning. We also briefly report the relevant Indian studies on PQ poisoning. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective case record-based study of PQ poisoning victims admitted over a period of 5 years. Results: Of the 55 patients included in this study, the in-hospital mortality rate was 72.7%. Acute kidney injury was the most common manifestation. The use of cyclophosphamide did not affect the clinical outcome. Hemoperfusion (HP) was not done for any patient. Pulmonary edema and acute tubular necrosis were the most common histopathological findings. Conclusion: In India, this is one of the most comprehensive studies of PQ toxicity. Hence, we hope that this information would be of use to clinicians who deal with PQ poisoning.