Medicine

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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty

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    Organophosphate poisoning complicated by rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury: A Case report and review of literature
    (Longdom Publishing SL, 2020) Gunasena, J.B.; de Silva, S.T.
    BACKGROUND: Rhabdomyolysis induced acute kidney injury (AKI) following organophosphate poisoning is a rare complication. The mechanism responsible is uncertain. CASE REPORT: A 42 years old male was admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka after deliberate self-ingestion of Calcron® (Profenophos, an organophosphorus pesticide). He developed rhabdomyolysis induced AKI requiring regular haemodialysis. During the hospital stay he also developed bronchopneumonia with acute respiratory distress syndrome, requiring intubation and ventilation. The patient improved with intravenous antibiotics and repeated renal replacement with haemodialysis. At discharge he had made a full recovery. CONCLUSION: Organophosphate poisoning can rarely lead to rhabdomyolysis induced AKI. It is an adverse predictor of outcome. Clinicians should be vigilant about this complication since, with early diagnosis and aggressive treatment, a favourable outcome is possible.
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    Patterns and outcome of acute poisoning among children in rural Sri Lanka
    (BioMed Central, 2018) Dayasiri, M.B.K.C.; Jayamanne, S.F.; Jayasinghe, C.Y.
    BACKGROUND: The burden of poisoning among children is largely underexplored in rural Sri Lanka. This study describes the patterns of demographic characteristics, poison related factors, clinical management and outcome following acute poisoning among children (9 months- 12 years) in rural Sri Lanka. METHOD: This hospital based multi-center study included Anuradhapura Teaching hospital, Polonnaruwa District General hospital, and 34 regional hospitals within Regional Director of Health Services in North Central province of Sri Lanka. The study assessed clinical profiles, poison related factors, clinical management, complications, harmful first aid practices, reasons for delayed management, complications and outcomes following acute poisoning over 7 years. RESULTS: Among 1621 children with acute poisoning, the majority were in preschool age group. Household chemicals were accountable for 489 acute poisonings (30.2%). The most common poison was kerosene oil, followed by paracetamol. Most events occurred within their own domestic premises. Potentially harmful first aid measures were practiced by approximately one third of care givers. Reasons for delayed presentation at emergency center included lack of concern by family members regarding the urgency of the situation and lack of knowledge regarding possible complications. Complications were observed in 12.5% and the most common complication was chemical pneumonitis. CONCLUSIONS: Children with acute poisoing in rural Sri Lanka were predominantly preschoolers. They are poisonined mostly within their own housing premises. Kerosene oil, in addition to being the most common poison, had additional risks of aspiration pneumonia following potentially hazadrous first aid measures practised by the care givers. Complications though rare were potentially preventable by community education and awareness on timely attention to seek medical care, and avoidance of harmful first aid practices. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12887-018-1246-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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    Risk factors for acute unintentional poisoning among children aged 1-5 years in the rural community of Sri Lanka
    (Hindawi Pub. Corp., 2017) Dayasiri, M.B.K.C.; Jayamanne, S.F.; Jayasinghe, C.Y.
    BACKGROUND: Acute poisoning in children is a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. However, there is a wide variation in patterns of poisoning and related risk factors across different geographic regions globally. This hospital based case-control study identifies the risk factors of acute unintentional poisoning among children aged 1-5 years of the ruralcommunity in a developing Asian country. METHODS: This hospital based case-control study included 600 children. Each group comprised three hundred children and all children were recruited at Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka, over two years (from February 2012 to January 2014). The two groups were compared to identify the effect of 23 proposed risk factors for unintentional poisoning using multivariate analysis in a binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified eight risk factors which were significantly associated with unintentional poisoning. The strongest risk factors were inadequate supervision (95% CI: 15.4-52.6), employed mother (95% CI: 2.9-17.5), parental concern of lack of family support (95% CI: 3.65-83.3), and unsafe storage of household poisons (95% CI: 1.5-4.9). CONCLUSIONS: Since inadequate supervision, unsafe storage, and unsafe environment are the strongest risk factors for childhood unintentional poisoning, the effect of community education to enhance vigilance, safe storage, and assurance of safe environment should be evaluated.
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    Patterns of acute poisoning with pesticides in the paediatric age group
    (Springer, 2017) Dayasiri, K.C.; Jayamanne, S.F.; Jayasinghe, C.Y.
    BACKGROUND: Pesticides are identified as one of the dangerous poisons globally in children and are associated with increased short- and long-term morbidity. Pesticide poisoning is the most common method of self-poisoning among adults in rural Sri Lanka, and the clinical management is associated with significant healthcare costs to the country. There is however little data published on acute pesticide poisoning among children in rural Sri Lanka. The current study aimed to comprehensively evaluate clinical profiles, harmful first aid measures, emergency clinical management, complications and outcomes related to acute pesticide poisoning among children in the rural community of Sri Lanka. METHODS: This multicenter study was conducted in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka involving all children with acute pesticide poisoning and who were between 9 months and 12 years of age. Data were collected over 7 years (2007-2014), and children from 36 hospitals were recruited. Data collection was carried out by pretested, multi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires to identify clinical profiles of children, harmful first aid measures, emergency clinical management, reasons for delayed management, complications and outcomes of pesticide poisoning events. RESULTS: Among 1621 children with acute poisoning, 9.5% (155) comprised children with acute pesticide poisoning. Male children outnumbered female children, and the majority of children were less than 5 years. Most common pesticides implicated in poisoning of children were organophosphates and carbamates. Gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms were predominant clinical features. Limited transport and lack of concern regarding urgency among caregivers were leading reasons for delayed management. Most common location for poisoning was cultivation lands. Harmful first aid measures were practiced in 32.4%. 7.1% had intentional pesticide poisoning. The case fatality rate of all pesticide poisonings in the study was 1.9%. 58.1% of patients were transferred between regional hospitals and teaching hospital. Cardiac and respiratory arrests, aspiration pneumonia and convulsions were among the reported complications. CONCLUSIONS: Acute pesticide poisoning in paediatric age group (<12 years) is a relatively uncommon yet significant cause of child health-related morbidity and mortality in rural Sri Lanka. Patterns of poisoning represent the pattern of pesticide use by the rural community. The practice of harmful first aid measures by caregivers and delay in attending the emergency department may negatively impact patient outcomes.
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    High lethality and minimal variation after acute self-poisoning with carbamate insecticides in Sri Lanka - implications for global suicide prevention
    (Informa Healthcare, 2016) Lamb, T.; Selvarajah, L.R.; Mohamed, F.; Jayamanne, S.; Gawarammana, I.; Mostafa, A.; Buckley, N.A.; Roberts, M.S.; Eddleston, M.
    BACKGROUND: Highly hazardous organophosphorus (OP) insecticides are responsible for most pesticide poisoning deaths. As they are removed from agricultural practice, they are often replaced by carbamate insecticides of perceived lower toxicity. However, relatively little is known about poisoning with these insecticides. METHODS: We prospectively studied 1288 patients self-poisoned with carbamate insecticides admitted to six Sri Lankan hospitals. Clinical outcomes were recorded for each patient and plasma carbamate concentration measured in a sample to confirm the carbamate ingested. FINDINGS: Patients had ingested 3% carbofuran powder (719), carbosulfan EC25 liquid (25% w/v, 389), or fenobucarb EC50 liquid (50% w/v, 127) formulations, carbamate insecticides of WHO Toxicity Classes Ib, II, and II, respectively. Intubation and ventilation was required for 183 (14.2%) patients while 71 (5.5%) died. Compared with carbofuran, poisoning with carbosulfan or fenobucarb was associated with significantly higher risk of death [carbofuran 2.2%; carbosulfan 11.1%, OR 5.5 (95% CI 3.0-9.8); fenobucarb 6.3%, OR 3.0 (1.2-7.1)] and intubation [carbofuran 6.1%; carbosulfan 27.0%, OR 5.7 (3.9-8.3); fenobucarb 18.9%, OR 3.6 (2.1-6.1)]. The clinical presentation and cause of death did not differ markedly between carbamates. Median time to death was similar: carbofuran 42.3 h (IQR 5.5-67.3), carbosulfan 21.3 h (11.5-71.3), and fenobucarb 25.3 h (17.3-72.1) (p = 0.99); no patients showed delayed onset of toxicity akin to the intermediate syndrome seen after OP insecticide poisoning. For survivors, median duration of intubation was 67.8 h (IQR 27.5-118.8) with no difference in duration between carbamates. Reduced GCS at presentation was associated with worse outcome although some patients with carbosulfan died after presentation with normal GCS. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find carbamate insecticide self-poisoning to vary markedly according to the carbamate ingested although the case fatality varied according to the concentration and formulation of the insecticide. Carbamate poisoning did not appear to be much less toxic than poisoning with some liquid OP insecticide formulations, e.g., chlorpyrifos EC40, that we have previously noted in these same hospitals (Lancet 2005, 366:1452-1459; QJM 2006, 99:513-522). Replacement of WHO Class II Toxicity OP insecticides in agriculture with high-strength liquid carbamate formulations may not substantially reduce case fatality after pesticide poisoning and, therefore, global suicide rates.
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    Efficacy of activated charcoal in yellow oleander poisoning
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2008) Peiris-John, R.J.; Wickremasinghe, A.R.
    No Abstract Available
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    Acute systemic paraquat intoxication: survival without long-term complications
    (Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2008) Mettananda, K.C.D.; de Silva, A.P.; de Silva, H.J.
    No Abstract Available
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    Multi-dose activated charcoal for yellow oleander poisoning
    (Lancet Publishing Group, 2003) de Silva, H.A.; Aronson, J.K.; Ranasinha, C.D.; Gunatilake, S.B.; de Silva, H.J.
    Author Reply to: Juurlink DN, Sivilotti ML. Lancet. 2003; 362(9383):581 No Abstract Available
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    Multiple-dose activated charcoal for treatment of yellow oleander poisoning : a single-blind randomized placebo controlled trial
    (Lancet Publishing Group, 2003) de Silva, H.A.; Fonseka, M.M.D.; Pathmeswaran, A.; Alahakoon, D.G.S.; Ratnatilaka, G.A.; Gunatilake, S.B.; Ranasinha, C.D.; Lalloo, D.G.; Aronson, J.K.; de Silva, H.J.
    BACKGROUND: Deliberate self-poisoning with yellow oleander seeds is common in Sri Lanka and is associated with severe cardiac toxicity and a mortality rate of about 10%. Specialised treatment with antidigoxin Fab fragments and temporary cardiac pacing is expensive and not widely available. Multiple-dose activated charcoal binds cardiac glycosides in the gut lumen and promotes their elimination. We aimed to assess the efficacy of multiple-dose activated charcoal in the treatment of patients with yellow-oleander poisoning. METHODS: On admission, participants received one dose of activated charcoal and were then randomly assigned either 50 g of activated charcoal every 6 h for 3 days or sterile water as placebo. A standard treatment protocol was used in all patients. We monitored cardiac rhythm and did 12-lead electocardiographs as needed. Death was the primary endpoint, and secondary endpoints were life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, dose of atropine used, need for cardiac pacing, admission to intensive care, and number of days in hospital. Analysis was by intention to treat. FINDINGS: 201 patients received multiple-dose activated charcoal and 200 placebo. There were fewer deaths in the treatment group (five [2.5%] vs 16 [8%]; percentage difference 5.5%; 95% CI 0.6-10.3; p=0.025), and we noted difference in favour of the treatment group for all secondary endpoints, apart from number of days in hospital. The drug was safe and well tolerated. INTERPRETATION: Multiple-dose activated charcoal is effective in reducing deaths and life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias after yellow oleander poisoning and should be considered in all patients. Use of activated charcoal could reduce the cost of treatment.
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    Yellow oleander poisoning in Sri Lanka: outcome in a secondary care hospital
    (SAGE Publishing, 2002) Fonseka, M.M.D.; Seneviratne, S.L.; de Silva, C.E.; Gunatilake, S.B.; de Silva, H.J.
    Cardiac toxicity after self-poisoning from ingestion of yellow oleander seeds is common in Sri Lanka. We studied all patients with yellow oleanderpoisoning (YOP) admitted to a secondary care hospital in north central Sri Lanka from May to August 1999, with the objective of determining theoutcome of management using currently available treatment. Patients with bradyarrhythmias were treated with intravenous boluses of atropine and intravenous infusions of isoprenaline. Temporary cardiac pacing was done for those not responding to drug therapy. During the study period 168 patients with YOP were admitted to the hospital (male:female = 55:113). There were six deaths (2.4%), four had third-degree heart block and two died of undetermined causes. They died soon after delayed admission to the hospital before any definitive treatment could be instituted. Of the remaining 162 patients, 90 (55.6%) patients required treatment, and 80 were treated with only atropine and/or isoprenaline while 10 required cardiac pacing in addition. Twenty-five (14.8%) patients had arrhythmias that were considered life threatening (second-degree heart block type II, third-degree heart block and nodal bradycardia). All patients who were treated made a complete recovery. Only a small proportion of patients (17%) admitted with YOP developed life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Treatment with atropine and isoprenaline was safe and adequate in most cases
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