Title of article :
Research Paper: Occurrence and Recurrence of Seizures and Related Factors in Patients With Tramadol Ingestion
Author/Authors :
Okazi, Arash Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology- School of Medicine- Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Taghaddosinejad, Fakhreddin Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology- School of Medicine- Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Mazrouei, Najmeh Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology- School of Medicine- Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran , Forouzeh, Mehdi Legal Medicine Research Center- Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran , Barzegar, Abdolrazagh Legal Medicine Research Center- Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran , Fallah, Fardin Legal Medicine Research Center- Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran
Abstract :
Background: Rate of tramadol poisoning and seizure and its complications is high in Iran. We
investigated the occurrence and recurrence of tramadol-induced seizures and related factors in
patients with tramadol poisoning.
Methods: This was a descriptive longitudinal study conducted in a poisoning referral hospital in
Tehran, Iran. During April to June 2017, adult patients (≥16 years) with tramadol ingestion and
poisoning admitted to hospital were selected by convenience sampling method. We studied the
rate of seizure occurrence and recurrence among them. Also, the association between seizure
occurrence and recurrence and patients’ demographic characteristics and poisoning-related factors
were investigated. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 and significant level was set at <0.05.
Results: In total, 250 patients participated in the study. Their mean age was 26.39 years and 214
(85.6%) of them were male. Of all, 159 (63.6%) were single, 106 (42.4%) were unemployed and
24 (9.6%) were students. Main reason of tramadol consumption was suicide. Co-administration of
drugs was reported in 83 (33.2%) cases. Incidence of seizure occurrence and recurrence were 31%
and 38.5%, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between the occurrence
and recurrence of seizures and patients’ age, gender, marital status, occupation, reason for tramadol
consumption, co-administration of drugs and naloxone administration. Probability of seizure
occurrence and recurrence raised with increased tramadol dose (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively).
Seizure recurrence led to longer hospital stay (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Rate of the occurrence and recurrence of tramadol-induced seizure seems clinically
significant, but the prognosis is generally good in cases with seizure. Greater ingested dose and late
hospital admission were associated with higher probability of seizure occurrence and recurrence.
Further studies are required to investigate the risk factors of tramadol-induced seizure
Keywords :
Naloxone , Poisoning , Recurrence , Seizure , Tramadol
Journal title :
Astroparticle Physics