Clinical analysis of acute drug intoxication and foreign body ingestion in Wonju: comparison between the 1990s and the 2000s

Eum, Joo Pil; Suh, Jin Suk; Kim, Hwang Min

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find out the changing pattern of drug or foreign body ingestion between 1990s and 2000s in Wonju Christian Hospital, which is located in one of the most rapidly urbanizing cities in Korea.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with acute drug intoxication and foreign body ingestion from January 1991 to December 1994 and from January 2001 to December 2004. We performed clinical analysis and compared the results of the 1990s and 2000s.
RESULTS
There were 43 cases of acute drug intoxication in the 1990s, and 35 cases in the 2000s. Foreign body ingestion was 47 cases in the 1990s and 22 cases in the 2000s. The ingested foreign bodies were chiefly coins (46.8 percent), Weiqi chips (14.9 percent), plastic toys (6.4 percent) and others (31.9 percent) in the 1990s. In the 2000s, others (58.2 percent) were the most commonly ingested foreign body with mercury batteries (23.8 percent), nails (9 percent), pins (9 percent) following. The most common cause of drug intoxication was medical drugs (37.2 percent) others (23.2 percent), agricultural agents (13.9 percent), carbon monoxide (11.6 percent), rodenticide (9.3 percent), insecticide (9.3 percent) in the 1990s. In the 2000s the most common causes were others (34.3 percent), medical drug (31.4 percent), agriculture agents (20 percent), detergent (11.4 percent), insecticide (2.9 percent) and carbon monoxide (2.9 percent). The highest incidence age group was the 1-3 year old group, both in acute drug intoxication and foreign body ingestion. There were no changes in the incidence age group between the 1990s and the 2000s.
CONCLUSION
There were some significant changes in the cause of acute drug intoxication and foreign body ingestion between the 1990s and 2000s. New education programs for preventing acute drug intoxication and foreign body ingestion are important and necessary.