Epidemiological and Clinical characteristics of Poisoning Patients at a Tertiary Healthcare Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

The study aimed to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of poisoning cases and explore how time to hospitalization and toxicity severity affect patient outcomes.  Objective: To assess the epidemiological trends and clinical characteristics of patients presenting with poisoning at a tertiary healthcare setting.  Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted over six months (September 2024 to February 2025) at a tertiary healthcare setting in Belagavi. a total of 60 patients admitted with poisoning were included after informed consent. Data was collected using a structured, pre-validated electronic questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 29. Statistical methods included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and correlation analyses, with p<0.05 considered significant.  Results: Most poisoning cases involved males (63.3%) and individuals aged 18–40 years (63.3%). Intentional poisoning accounted for 65% of incidents. The workplace was the most common site of exposure (65%). Patients admitted within 30 minutes had a 100% recovery rate, whereas those admitted after more than 12 hours showed increased mortality (up to 42.9%). Severe toxicity was linked with symptoms like unconsciousness, irregular heart rate, and multi-organ involvement. Dermatological, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal issues were more frequent in severe cases.  Conclusion: Poisoning predominantly affects young adults and is often intentional. Early medical intervention significantly improves survival, while delays lead to worse outcomes. Timely care and preventive strategies are critical to reducing the impact of poisoning.