[Suicidal salicylate intoxications and unintentional percutaneous poisoning with salicylic ointment]

Suicidal salicylate poisonings are presented in 49 patients, 33 women and 16 men, aged from 18 to 71 (mean 37) years. Mixed poisonings with multiple agents were four times more frequent, had more severe clinical course and demanded longer hospitalisation than acute intoxications with salicylates alone. Four patient were over 65 years old (8.2%). Difficult economic situation of geriatric population in Poland had no effect on frequency of suicidal attempts in the studied cohort. There were no fatalities in the studied group. There were two unintentional systemic poisonings due to topical administration of the 10% salicylic acid ointment for wide spread skin lesions (more than 80% of body surface) in two patients with exudative psoriasis.