Raghu Gangadharappa1, Manojkumar B. Kalegowda2, Bharath Golla3
BACKGROUND
Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are insecticides which are widely used in
agriculture. Acute organophosphorus poisoning is one of the important causes of
morbidity and mortality in developing countries like India. Considering financial
burden / availability of tests, we need cheap and easily measurable biomarkers for
predicting prognosis / complications in a limited resource country, like India. We
intend to correlate the levels of serum amylase in patients admitted with acute
organophosphorus poisoning for predicting the severity of acute OP poisoning and
also to correlate serum amylase association with respiratory failure.
METHODS
This was a prospective observational study. Total of 94 patients of OP poisoning
admitted to KIMS Hospital, Hubballi between January 1st 2017 and December 31th
2017 were studied. Detailed history, clinical examination, and lab investigations
like pseudocholinesterase, serum amylase and other relevant investigations were
carried out. Peradeniya OP poisoning scale was applied to all the study subjects
and the severity of OP poisoning was graded as mild, moderate, severe. Data
obtained was analysed by different statistical methods.
RESULTS
OP poisoning was more common in adults of age group between 20 – 30 years,
Incidence was more in male patients and mortality rate was 12.8 %. Mean values
of serum amylase negatively correlate with pseudocholinesterase levels and it was
statistically significant. Correlation between the severity of OP poisoning (based
on Peradeniya score) and biochemical parameters like pseudocholinesterase,
serum amylase was statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
The correlation between the severity of OP poisoning and biochemical parameter–
serum amylase, was statistically significant and it was useful in predicting the
development of respiratory failure. Pseudocholinesterase and serum amylase were
also useful to predict the outcome of the patient.
