Arif Alper CEVIK1 2, Ilhami UNLUOGLU3

1Department of Emergency Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir
2United Arab Emirates University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Al Ain, UAE
3Department of Family Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir

Keywords: Elderly; emergency department; mushroom; poisoning; summer season

Abstract

Objectives

Mushroom poisoning (MP) is one of the world's leading seasonal and regional health problems. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between clinical factors and outcomes of mushroom poisoning.

Methods

The study was conducted in the emergency department. The patients who presented between January 1st, 1991 and December 31, 2010 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

599 MP cases were enrolled into the statistical analysis. The elderly group had a higher rate of mortality (8.8%) and complications (12.3%) (p=0.005) (OR 3.98, 95% CI: 1.9291 to 8.2290; p=0.0002). The patients who presented in summer had a higher rate of mortality (9.5%) and complications (11.9%) (p≤0.001). (OR: 3.83, 95% CI 1.7068 to 8.6074, p=0.0011). The rate of mortality and complications in patients who had eaten self-harvested wild mushrooms (WM) was 6.8%, while those who purchased WM had a mortality and complication rate of 15.2% (p=0.016), (Purchased WM OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.1609 to 5.2353, p=0.0189). The rate of mortality and complications in the patients who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms was 9.9% (OR: 3.98, 95% CI 1.5503 to 10.2679; p=0.0041).

Conclusions

Factors such as being elderly, summer season, purchased WM, and gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly associated with mortality and complications in our study.