Acute medication poisoning causing hospital admissions in childhood: a 3-year prospective observational single-center study

Physiol Res. 2019 Nov 22;68(Suppl 1):S31-S38. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934321.

Abstract

Although the risks of medication poisoning in children are often reported, there is a lack of studies addressing this issue. The majority of papers deal with a wide range of xenobiotics poisoning and, in particular, alcohol intoxications. All hospital admissions during three years were prospectively recorded. Patients younger than 19 years of age admitted for acute drug intoxications were further evaluated. A total of 15,069 children were admitted. Of them, 55 were hospitalized for acute medication poisoning. The condition was more common in girls (72.7 % vs. 27.3 %, p<0.01). Toddlers were the largest patient group (36.4 %). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most frequently used agents, with ibuprofen being the leading drug (20 % of all cases). The route of intoxication was almost exclusively oral. Solid drug forms were involved in 40 (72.7 %) cases. There was one fatal accidental poisoning. The highest occurrence of accidental drug intoxications was in the age group from one to three years. Attempted suicides were most frequent among adolescents. We are currently actively dealing with the issue. The cohort has been expanded to include a period of ten years and is being analyzed.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Misuse / adverse effects
  • Drug Misuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Poisoning / epidemiology*
  • Prescription Drugs / poisoning
  • Prospective Studies
  • Suicide, Attempted / statistics & numerical data

Substances

  • Prescription Drugs