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Fatal Poisoning Cases in a Teaching Hospital of West Bengal: a Descriptive Cross-Sectional Clinico-epidemiological Study

Background: Poisoning is a global health issue and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India. Pattern of poisoning depends on factors, such as availability of poisons, socioeconomic status of the population, religious and cultural influences, thus creating varied epidemiological trends across time and regions. The present study is planned to address the epidemiological profiles of fatal poisoning cases, with reference to the gastric findings during autopsy. Methods: This is a descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study analysing 184 fatal poisoning cases, who attended to R.G. Kar Medical College Police Mortuary during the period of 2014-2015. Conclusion : People of age group 20-29 years were mostly affected, with a male preponderance and an incidence of 8.03%. People from the rural regions constituted more than 80% of the study sample, with suicide as the commonest manner of death. Organophosphorus compounds and acids were the mainly detected, with mucosal congestion and submucosal hemorrhage of stomach as the most reported findings. The authors feel that a prospective study is an option, which could accurately identify the cases and deaths, which could formulate stringent measures so as to decrease the morbidity and mortality due to poisoning.