The Factors that Predict Using Mechanical Ventilation for Patients with Organophosphate Intoxication

Park, Dong Chan; Park, Jung Bae; Kim, Yun Jeong; Shin, Soo Jeong; Mun, You Ho; Park, Sin Ryul; Ryoo, Hyun Wook; Seo, Kang Suk; Chung, Jae Myung

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that predict using mechanical ventilation for patients with organophosphate intoxication.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 111 patients with acute organophosphate intoxication and who were treated in our emergency center from January 2000 to December 2008. We compared the toxicologic characteristics, the laboratory findings and the APACHE II scores between the Mechanical Ventilation group (MV group) and the non-Mechanical Ventilation group (the non MV group).
RESULTS
Sixty three patients were in the MV group and 48 patients were in the non MV group. In the MV group, the patients had an older age (p<0.001), a larger amount of ingestion (p<0.001), a lower initial serum cholinesterase level (p=0.003), a higher APACHE II score (p<0.001) and they ingested a more toxic agent (p=0.001). There were no significant differences in gender, the type of visit and the arrival time between the MV group and the non MV group.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that the patient's age, the amount of organophosphate ingestion, the toxicity of the agent, the initial serum cholinesterase level and the APACHE II score are important factors to determine if mechanical ventilation will be applied for patients with organophosphate intoxication.