Clinical Profile and Outcome of Paraphenylene Diamine Poisoning

To determine the clinical presentation, complications, and outcome of paraphenylene diamine (PPD) poisoning in patients presenting to Nishtar Hospital, Multan. Descriptive study. Medical Unit II and III, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, from April 2015 to September 2016. All adult patients admitted with history of paraphenylene diamine ingestion were evaluated for clinical features, complications, and outcomes on a pre-designed proforma. Out of 122 patients, 95 were females (77.9%) and 101/122 patients had ingested the poison with an intention of suicide or self harm (82.8%). The mean age of presentation was 23.21 ±8.2 years. Cervico-facial edema was the chief presenting complaint, seen in 116/122 (95%) of patients, with median of 2 (interquartile range=3) for time of onset after ingestion of poison. Tracheostomy was needed in 95/116 (82%) patients with cervico-facial edema. Other common complaints were dark urine in 95/122 (77.9%) and pain in limbs in 98/122 (80.3%) patients. Rhabdomyolysis was evident in 91/122 (74.5%) patients at admission. Acute kidney injury developed in 37/122 (30.3%) patients. Among these, 16 (43.2%) patients required haemodialysis. Myocarditis was diagnosed in 33/122 (27%) patients. The median for hospital stay was 9.50 days (interquartile range=6.25). The mortality was 34/122 (28%). Ventricular arrhythmias were the commonest cause of death in 25/34 (73.5%), followed by renal failure in 5/34 (14.7%), asphyxia in 2/34 (5.88%), and aspiration pneumonia in 2/34 (5.88%) patients. Paraphenylene diamine is an emerging domestic poison in Pakistan, with a high morbidity and mortality.