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Paracetamol orodispersible tablets: a risk for severe poisoning in children?

Alessandro Ceschi1, Katharina E Hofer, Christine Rauber-Lüthy

  • 1Division of Science, Swiss Toxicological Information Centre, Freiestrasse 16, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland. Alessandro.Ceschi@usz.ch

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|November 25, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Orodispersible paracetamol tablets pose a higher risk for severe poisoning in children compared to standard tablets. Increased accidental ingestion of these fast-dissolving formulations may lead to more childhood paracetamol poisoning cases.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Pediatrics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Childhood paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose is a significant health concern.
  • Investigating the specific risks associated with fast-disintegrating orodispersible paracetamol tablets in young children is crucial.

Observation:

  • A retrospective study analyzed accidental ingestions of 500-mg paracetamol tablets in children under 6 years old.
  • 187 cases involved standard tablets, while 16 involved orodispersible formulations.
  • The mean ingested dose was 59% higher in the orodispersible group.

Findings:

  • Children ingesting orodispersible paracetamol were more likely to receive recommendations for activated charcoal or N-acetylcysteine treatment.
  • The orodispersible formulation group showed a higher incidence of potentially hepatotoxic doses (≥ 150 mg/kg).

Implications:

  • Orodispersible paracetamol formulations may increase the risk of severe paracetamol poisoning in pediatric populations.
  • The over-the-counter accessibility of these formulations could contribute to a rise in childhood poisoning incidents.
Abstract

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