Relationship between abnormal pupillary reactivity and the outcome of a psychotropic drug overdose

Yanagawa, Youichi; Miyazaki, Masaki; Sakamoto, Toshihisa

doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2009.03.012

« Previous Next »American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 28, Issue 6 , Pages 703-707, July 2010

Relationship between abnormal pupillary reactivity and the outcome of a psychotropic drug overdose

Department of Traumatology and Critical Care Medicine, National Defense Medical College (NDMC), Saitama 359-8513, Japan

Received 21 January 2009; received in revised form 13 March 2009; accepted 14 March 2009. published online 26 March 2010.

Abstract

Objective

The association between abnormal pupil reactivity (abnormal) and the outcome among patients with psychotropic drug overdose (OD) was retrospectively investigated.

Methods

The study included patients that had experienced an OD between January and December 2007. The subjects were divided into 2 groups, namely, abnormal and normal groups.

Results

There were 12 subjects in the abnormal and 74 subjects in the normal group. Glasgow Coma Scale in the abnormal was significantly smaller that that in the normal group. An average quantity of ingested tranquilizer per subject in the abnormal was significantly larger that those in the normal group. However, the duration of admission and survival rates between the two groups were not significantly different.

Conclusion

The patients that experienced an OD, who demonstrated abnormal pupil reactivity, tended to have ingested larger amounts of drugs while also demonstrating severe unconsciousness. However, the patients with abnormal pupil reactivity had a favorable outcome.