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AMMONIA INJURY IN AN AGRICULTURAL POPULATION
Bloom G, Hopkins-Price P, and Sood A. (2006). Ammonia Injury in an Agricultural Population. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 3 (Abstracts Issue), A803
INTRODUCTION/RATIONALE: Anhydrous ammonia (AA), a chemical commonly used in agriculture, is a key component in illicit methamphetamine production. Acute exposure to AA can cause serious injury and death. Because illicit methamphetamine production has become more widespread in the U.S., AA injuries have increasingly been reported. This study aims to better characterize these injuries in an agricultural population. METHODS: This cross sectional study is based on a chart review of patients with known or suspected exposures to chemical agents admitted to a hospital in central Illinois between 1995 to 2005. Morbidity characteristics were compared between injuries resulting from exposure to AA and other chemicals. RESULTS: AA was the most common cause of chemical injury (37%; n=20/54). Illicit methamphetamine production was the most common cause of AA injury (75%; n=15/20). AA injury was associated with a greater proportion of inhalation injury, ocular injury, Burn Unit admissions, and days in the Intensive Care Unit as compared to other chemical injuries. CONCLUSION: Illicit methamphetamine production, rather than farming accidents, was the most common cause of AA injury in this agricultural population. Injuries due to AA exposure were more severe than those due to other chemicals.
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