A One-Year Profile of Acute Poisoning Cases in a Tertiary Care Emergency Department

Objective: This study aimed to compare the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of intentional and unintentional poisoning cases presenting to the emergency department, to identify predictors of intentional poisoning, and to evaluate the association between poisoning intent and hospital admission. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 665 acute poisoning cases evaluated over a one-year period. Demographic data, type of toxic agent, time of presentation, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Intentional and unintentional cases were compared, and predictors of intentional poisoning were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Of the cases, 87.1% were intentional and 12.9% were unintentional poisonings. Intentional cases were younger, and pharmaceutical drugs were the most common agents, followed by alcohol. Most unintentional cases were associated with carbon monoxide exposure, predominantly during winter. Intentional poisonings occurred more frequently at night and on weekends. Hospital admission rate was higher in intentional cases (46.5% vs. 14%; p