Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

10.22038/apjmt.2025.84664.1489

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and the severity of intoxication in patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) using the Ankara Poisoning Criteria, PGI, Mascot, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores.
Methods: This prospective observational study included intoxicated patients aged over 18 years who were admitted to the ED over a 1-year period. Demographic data, clinical parameters, and various intoxication scoring systems were used to assess poisoning severity and ICU admission needs. The diagnostic performance was evaluated using ROC curves, and risk factors for ICU admission were determined through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.
Results: A total of 210 patients were included. Half (n=105) were admitted to the ICU, and the other half were monitored in the ED. The median age was 30 years, and 52.9% of patients were male. Significant differences in age and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores were observed between ICU-admitted and ED-discharged patients (p<0.05). In multivariate analysis, age, Ankara Criteria scores, and Mascot scores were identified as independent risk factors for ICU admission (p<0.01). The Ankara Criteria demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy for predicting ICU admission.
Conclusion: The Ankara Poisoning Criteria is a reliable and effective tool for assessing poisoning severity and predicting ICU admission.

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