Features of Benzodiazepine Poisoning in the Elderly and Senile Patients

AIM OF THE STUDY To study benzodiazepine poisoning in geriatric patients compared to patients of working age.

MATERIAL AND METHODS We examined 82 patients with benzodiazepine poisoning, hospitalized in the Department of Acute Poisoning and Somatopsychiatric Disorders of the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine in 2020–2021, which were divided into age categories: young (18–44 years old), middle (45–59 years old) and older (over 60 years old) age. The presence of benzodiazepines in urine was confirmed by immunochromatographic analysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The concentration of phenazepam in the blood and urine was determined in 45 patients by GC-MS. Statistical processing of the material was performed using the IBM program SPSS Statistics 27.0. The median (Me), 25th and 75th percentiles were determined. The comparison of quantitative data was performed using non-parametric criteria, the level of significance was taken as p<0.05.

RESULTS It was found that acute phenazepam poisoning prevailed in all age groups (90% of patients). Among young and middle-aged patients, moderate and deep stunning (GCS score 12–14) prevailed, and in older people moderate and severe poisoning prevailed (GCS score 3–12), with no statistically significant differences in blood concentrations of phenazepam between the groups. In patients of the older age group with benzodiazepine poisoning, compared to people of working age, the development of respiratory failure was statistically significantly more frequent — 13.8-fold, pneumonia — 12.6-fold, vein thrombosis of the lower extremities — 7.8-fold, trophic skin changes — 29-fold. The duration of treatment in older patients with benzodiazepine poisoning was 3.5-fold higher than in young and middle-aged patients, mortality in the older age group was 41%.

CONCLUSION The course of acute poisoning with benzodiazepines, including phenazepam, in the elderly and senile age differs in comparison with persons of working age with a high incidence of complications and adverse outcomes.

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