Presentation of poisoned patients to accident and emergency departments in the north of England.

1. A 12 week prospective survey of all patients of any age with confirmed or suspected poisoning presenting to six accident and emergency departments in the North East of England was performed to establish the local incidence and patterns of presentation of poisoning. 2. 945 episodes of poisoning involving 852 patients were recorded representing approximately 1.2% of all A&E presentations and suggesting an annual attendance rate of 2.7 per 1000 persons per year. 3. Attendance rates varied threefold between hospitals and were similar in males and females overall; between the ages of five and 14 attendances were more common in females (1.9 vs 0.6/10(3)/y) while between 0 and 4 y (3.1 vs 2.4) and 25 and 34 y (3.9 vs 2.9/10(3)/y) they were more common in males. 4. The median interval between poisoning and presentation was 2 h (mean 4.1 h) and only 19% of cases presented within 1 h. Presentation was most common between Friday evening and Tuesday morning and in the late afternoon and evening. 5. 6% of the patients presented more than once with poisoning during the study period and 37% had a past history of deliberate self-harm. The most common poisons involved were paracetamol (43%), opioids (15%) and benzodiazepines (15%). 6. The study illustrates the frequency of presentations of poisoning to A&E departments. The high rate of poisoning in young men and the increasing use of paracetamol are particular causes for concern.