[Lung diseases complicating acute poisoning with psychotropic drugs]

474 patients admitted in ICU between 1976 and 1981 were retrospectively analysed. Pneumonia (P) was assessed by condensation on chest X ray. P developed in 14,3%. 24 hours after admission 77,6% of P had appeared. Initial location was unilateral in 79,4% with predilection to the inferior half of the right lung. Fever was almost constant (89,5%). Promoting factors were observed: delay between ingestion and admission, vomiting and tracheobronchial embarrassment, coma depth. Recovery was simple in 83,3%. Among the 14 deads, 6 died because only of p, in 4 other P was aggravating. Duration in ICU was much longer when P was present (9 +/- 8,1 days) than when P was absent (2,5 +/- 2,1) p less than 0,001.