MUSHROOM POISONING IN A METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL

Objective: We aimed to investigate suspected cases of mushroom poisoning that were admitted to the emergency department of a metropolitan education and research hospital. Material and Methods: Suspicious cases of mushroom poisoning and determined mushroom poisoning patients were investigated in the medical records of patients who were older than 18 years old in 1 year. We examined patient’s demographic information, admission date, complaints, time of complaint starting, and clinical and laboratory findings. Treatments and results were evaluated. Results: We analyzed 74 patients who were diagnosed with mushroom poisoning. The most common complaints of the patients were nausea and vomiting. Increases in the number of admission were observed in November and December. A total of 25 patients were externed from emergency medicine, and 39 patients were hospitalized. 5 patients treatment with hemodialysis and both of them died. Conclusion: Mushroom poisoning is known to vary according to seasonal distribution, type of mushroom, geographic shape, and climate of the region. Therefore, emergency physicians should investigate the characteristics and ecology of the region and the geographic shape, so that provision services can facility the emergency departments principles working and organizated. The importance of regional characteristics is lost in a metropolitan hospital. (JAEM 2014; 13: 162-5)