Risk factors for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in patients with opioids intoxication

Objectives: Patients poisoned with opioids sometimes need endotracheal intubation with or without the use of mechanical ventilation. This study was done to determine the prognostic risk factors for of the need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.Methodology: In this cross-sectional study which was performed in Isfahan (Iran), one hundred (n=100) opioid poisoned patients whom their overdoses were diagnosed by their full and reliable history, physical examination and positive response to naloxone; vital signs at the hospital admission, blood biochemistry, ABG details and also the type and estimated dosage of opioid, route of consumption, and their need to mechanical ventilation were evaluated.�Results: Patients were mostly aged between 20-40 years old. Seventy nine patients were male and 26 cases (21 men) required endotracheal intubation and 15 cases (14 men) needed both intubation and mechanical ventilation. The most consumed opiates among the poisoned patients were opium (35%), heroin (16%), Tramadol (15%), Methadone (9%), crack (6%), Diphenoxylate (4%) and others (15%). There was a significant difference between the mean heart rates and respiratory rate of the patients who were connected to the ventilator and others (99.8�21.8 and 87.3�16.3; p=0.01). The lower level of consciousness [OR: 2.2 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.2-4.2], and lower admission level of hemoglobin (OR: 3.6; CI:1.2-10.8) were among the factors for predicting the need for intubation and ventilation.Conclusion: Determining the risk factors with prognostic value for the need to intubation or ventilation seems to be necessary for improving the standard of therapy in opioids poisoned patients