Refined Opium Extract (Shireh) Poisoning: A 10-Year Retrospective Study in a Referral Poison Control Centre in Iran

Background: There is limited data on refined opium extract (Shireh) abuse, especially the magnitude of its complications and its mortality rates. To bridge such a gap, in this study, we aimed to investigate the frequency of pure refined opium extract poisoning and its consequences in a sample of our patients. Methods:This retrospective study was conducted on all the patients presented to our center with pure refined opium extract poisoning. Patients’ demographics, clinical and laboratory data, and outcome were collected during a ten-year period between 2006 and 2016. The included patients were divided into two groups: those who remained conscious and those who developed loss of consciousness. However, they were compared subsequently. Results:A total of 227 patients were evaluated. Most (75.8 %) of them were male. Mean age was 38.26±25.91 years. We found a significant correlation between educational (.038), marital (