Emergency Room of the Hospital associated with the University of Salerno: acute poisoning registered from April 2009 to September 2011

An ever growing number of patients go to the emergency room (ER) for toxic exposure to various causal agents. Yet, the actual number of acute poisoning still remains unknown and the epidemic data are only partly available. Cases of acute poisoning in the ER of Salerno Hospital from April 2009 to September 2011 (30 months’ period) are reported. Data are divided according to the criteria of gender, age, aetiologic agent, place and reasons of poisoning, and risk evaluation. Out of the total 220,165 patients, the acute poisoning cases were 1,347 (0.61%). Among these, 189 (14.1%) patients were admitted to hospital while 3 (0.2%) died. Alcool acute poisonings are the most frequent (43.6%), followed by drugs poisonings (30.6%). Acute poisonings are more common among males (59.9%) and in people aged 20-50 years. Out of all the acute poisoning cases, 27.8% requested a consult to the Anti-Poisoning Centre. The results aim at contributing to the epidemic research for acute poisoning in ER.