Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: Paracetamol admissions in Sri Lanka have been
increasing in urban hospitals. Official government statistics
of 5ri Lanka does not recognize paracetamol as a separate
entity but is listed under poisoning by drugs, medicaments
and biological substances. Epidemiology of paracetamol
poisoning in rural areas is important to allocate resources
and develop public health policy.The objectives of this study
was to describe epidemiology of paracetamol poisoning.
METHODS: A prospective study was carried out using the
cohort data base maintained by SACTRC. Data of 5 tertiary
care hospitals (peradeniya, Kurunegala, Matara, Galle and
Anuradhapura) were used to describe epidemiology of
paracetamol poisoning. Three districts (Anuradhapura,
Matara and Galle) were used to calculate prevalence of
paracetamol poisoning. The government census data of
2012 was taken to calculate incidence.
RESUTTS: There were 27,ggg patients admitted to 5 tertiary
care units during study period.6,2g1 (23o/o) of these were
due to paracetamol poisoning. There were 4,1 g1 (670/o)
females and 2,100 (33o70; males. Majority of the admissions
were due to ingestions between l6_20 tablets while 1l_
25 tablet range is the most frequently overdosed range
of paracetamol tablets. The median age of the cohort was
19 (lQR-l7-24). Significantly higher number of patients
ingested less than 20 tablets (non_toxic) (p<0.0001). The
number of male patients who ingested toxic amounts
(more than 21 tablets)was significantly higher than females
(p<0.0001). Annual population incidence in females was
higher than in males (42 versus 23 per 1OO,0O0 population
/per year, respectivery). Anarysis of data of three districts,
(Kurunegala, Matara and Galle) revealed that the overall age
and sex adjusted annual district incidence were 64 (Cl 60_
68), 5t (Cl 46-57) and 68(Ct 63-74) per 100,000 population/
per year respectively.
.ONCLUStoN: Paracetamol poisoning accounts for 23o/o of all
poisonings in the four year study period based on the results
of the tertiary care hospital data.
