Pattern of acute poisoning in Al-Qassim region: a surveillance report from Saudi Arabia, 1999-2003.

We reviewed all registered cases of acute chemical poisoning reporting to the preventive medicine department in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia from 1999 to 2003. The number of cases increased from 66 to 114 during the study period. Mean age of patients was 17.7 years, and over 39% were children aged < or = 5 years. Pesticides were the most common chemical involved; paracetamol and other analgesics were also frequently reported. The oral route was the most frequent, while vomiting was the commonest symptom. Nine deaths were recorded, of which 4 were due to pesticide poisoning. In line with the global trend, acute chemical poisoning is growing as a major health issue in the Qassim Region.