Table 5

Comparison of main toxic agents between fatal and non-fatal acute poisonings during one year in Oslo.

Main agents in acute poisonings

Case fatality rates

Fatal

Non-fatal

Fatal cases/all cases

n (%)

n (%)

95% C.I.

>5% fatality rate

Methanol

1 (1)

2 (0.1)

1/3 = 0.33

0.008-0.91

TCAs**

4 (4)

24 (0.8)

4/28 = 0.14

0.04-0.33

Antihistamines

3 (3)

27 (0.9)

3/30 = 0.10

0.02-0.27

Zopiclone

4 (4)

45 (2)

4/49 = 0.08

0.02-0.20

Opiates/opioids

68 (66)

847(28)

68/915 = 0.07

0.06-0.09

Carbon monoxide

2 (2)

31 (1)

2/33 = 0.06

0.007-0.20

<5% fatality rate

Cocaine

1 (1)

23 (1)

1/24 = 0.04

0.001-0.21

Anti-epileptics

1 (1)

33 (1)

1/34 = 0.03

0.0007-0.15

SSRIs**

1 (1)

45 (2)

1/46 = 0.02

0.0005-0.11

Neuroleptics

2 (2)

79 (3)

2/81 = 0.02

0.003-0.09

Carisoprodol

1 (1)

57 (2)

1/58 = 0.02

0.0004-0.09

Paracetamol

2 (2)

142 (5)

2/144 = 0.01

0.002-0.05

Benzodiazepines

4 (4)

261 (9)

4/265 = 0.01

0.004-0.04

<1% fatality rate

Ethanol

9 (9)

984 (33)

9/993 = 0.009

0.004-0.02

No fatalities

Cannabis/THC

-

2 (0.1)

0/2 = 0

0-0.84

Salicylate

-

3 (0.1)

0/3 = 0

0-0.71

Ethylene glycol

-

4 (0.1)

0/4 = 0

0-0.60

Lithium

-

6 (0.2)

0/6 = 0

0-0.46

Ecstasy

-

9 (0.3))

0/9 = 0

0-0.34

Other sedatives

-

14 (0.5)

0/14 = 0

0-0.23

Cardiovascular agents

-

15 (0.5)

0/15 = 0

0-0.22

NSAIDs**

-

16 (0.5)

0/16 = 0

0-0.21

Amphetamine

-

53 (2)

0/53 = 0

0-0.07

GHB**

-

97 (3)

0/97 = 0

0-0.04

Others

-

78 (3)

-

-

Unknown*

-

63 (2)

-

-

Total

103 (100)

2981 (100)

103/2998 = 0.03

0.03-0.04

The toxic agents are reported according to their case fatality rate.

*Cases treated by the ambulance services as acute poisonings, but where the toxic agent was unknown or not registered.

**TCAs: tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, GHB: gamma-hydroxybutyrate, NSAIDs: non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs

Bjornaas et al. BMC Emergency Medicine 2010 10:13   doi:10.1186/1471-227X-10-13