Changes in the epidemiological profile of poisonings during COVID-19: differences between the first half of 2019 and 2020
Journal
Clinical toxicology
Date Issued
2021-05-28
Author(s)
Bekjarovski, Niko
Naumoski, Kiril
Abstract
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the epidemio-
logical profile of acute poisonings, due to social changes related
to preventive measures for protection against SARS-CoV-2 [1].
The purpose of this analysis is to compare the changes in the epidemiological characteristics of acute poisonings between the
first half of 2019 and 2020.
Methods: A retrospective study analyzing the data from the
Register for poisonings, of the Poison Information Center,
University Clinic of Toxicology, Skopje, Macedonia.
Results: During the first half of 2020, a total of 564 cases of
acute poisoning were registered presenting a decrease of 23.7%
compared to the same period in 2019. The monthly percentage
distribution of patients in the first half of 2020 showed more
patients in January and February, and a decrease in the remain-
ing 4 months, which coincided with the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic. The lowest prevalence was registered in March and
April with a percentage decrease (23.6% and 24.1%, respectively),
when quarantine measures were introduced in Macedonia.
Although there was no significant difference in out/inpatient
treatment groups between 2019 and 2020 year (X2 ¼0.605, df
¼1, P ¼0.437), in April 2020, during quarantine, the percentage
difference between inpatients and outpatients was the lowest
(6%) of all months in 2019 and 2020. The distribution of poison-
ings by motive (suicidal, abuse and accidental) did not differ sig-
nificantly between the first half of the last 2 years (X2 ¼0.178, df
¼2, P ¼0.915). The percentage of ethanol abuse, medicines and
mushroom poisoning cases was reduced in 2020 compared to
2019 by 2.2%, 7.4% and 79.3%, respectively. In contrast, psycho-
active substance cases increased by 51.5% in the first half of
2020 compared to the first half of 2019. In the group of recre-
ational drug abuse cases, the largest increase was observed in
heroin (141.2%) and methadone (125.1%) overdose. For chemi-
cals, there was a large increase in cases involving disinfectants
(681.0%) in 2020. There was no change in the case fatality ratio
of total (1.8%) and hospitalized patients (4.8%) between 2019
and 2020.
Conclusion: The first half of 2020 compared to the same period
in 2019 was characterized by an increase in poisonings with dis-
infectants and psychoactive substances. he decrease in the total
number of poisonings, with the largest decrease in the quaran-
tine months, stress the need to examine family dynamics and
communication as a social key to reducing the number of
poisonings.
logical profile of acute poisonings, due to social changes related
to preventive measures for protection against SARS-CoV-2 [1].
The purpose of this analysis is to compare the changes in the epidemiological characteristics of acute poisonings between the
first half of 2019 and 2020.
Methods: A retrospective study analyzing the data from the
Register for poisonings, of the Poison Information Center,
University Clinic of Toxicology, Skopje, Macedonia.
Results: During the first half of 2020, a total of 564 cases of
acute poisoning were registered presenting a decrease of 23.7%
compared to the same period in 2019. The monthly percentage
distribution of patients in the first half of 2020 showed more
patients in January and February, and a decrease in the remain-
ing 4 months, which coincided with the onset of the COVID-19
pandemic. The lowest prevalence was registered in March and
April with a percentage decrease (23.6% and 24.1%, respectively),
when quarantine measures were introduced in Macedonia.
Although there was no significant difference in out/inpatient
treatment groups between 2019 and 2020 year (X2 ¼0.605, df
¼1, P ¼0.437), in April 2020, during quarantine, the percentage
difference between inpatients and outpatients was the lowest
(6%) of all months in 2019 and 2020. The distribution of poison-
ings by motive (suicidal, abuse and accidental) did not differ sig-
nificantly between the first half of the last 2 years (X2 ¼0.178, df
¼2, P ¼0.915). The percentage of ethanol abuse, medicines and
mushroom poisoning cases was reduced in 2020 compared to
2019 by 2.2%, 7.4% and 79.3%, respectively. In contrast, psycho-
active substance cases increased by 51.5% in the first half of
2020 compared to the first half of 2019. In the group of recre-
ational drug abuse cases, the largest increase was observed in
heroin (141.2%) and methadone (125.1%) overdose. For chemi-
cals, there was a large increase in cases involving disinfectants
(681.0%) in 2020. There was no change in the case fatality ratio
of total (1.8%) and hospitalized patients (4.8%) between 2019
and 2020.
Conclusion: The first half of 2020 compared to the same period
in 2019 was characterized by an increase in poisonings with dis-
infectants and psychoactive substances. he decrease in the total
number of poisonings, with the largest decrease in the quaran-
tine months, stress the need to examine family dynamics and
communication as a social key to reducing the number of
poisonings.
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