Related Experiment Videos
Carbamate and organophosphate poisoning in early childhood
Insights
Pediatric organophosphate and carbamate poisoning presents differently than in adults, primarily with CNS depression. Atropine sulfate showed benefits for central nervous system effects in children.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Pediatric Medicine
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Organophosphate and carbamate compounds are common pesticides.
- Poisoning in children can lead to severe health consequences.
- Clinical manifestations in pediatric patients often differ from adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation of carbamate and organophosphate poisoning in infants and young children.
- To compare pediatric poisoning symptoms with those typically seen in adults.
- To evaluate the therapeutic response to atropine sulfate in pediatric cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series analysis of 25 infants and young children.
- Detailed recording of presenting signs and symptoms.
- Observation of clinical response to atropine sulfate therapy.
Main Results:
- Pediatric poisoning predominantly featured CNS depression, coma, dyspnea, and flaccidity.
- Miosis, salivation, and bradycardia were less common in children compared to adults.
- Carbamate and organophosphate poisoning were clinically indistinguishable in children.
- Atropine sulfate demonstrated efficacy in improving CNS symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric organophosphate and carbamate poisoning exhibit distinct clinical features from adult presentations.
- Central nervous system effects are more prominent in childhood poisoning.
- Atropine sulfate offers therapeutic benefits for CNS involvement in pediatric poisoning.
Abstract:
Twenty-five infants and young children intoxicated by carbamate and organophosphorus compounds are described. Presenting signs and symptoms in children differed from those described in adults and were mainly related to severe CNS depression, coma and stupor, dyspnea, and flaccidity. Other clinical signs such as miosis, excessive salivation and tearing, sweaty, cold skin, and gastrointestinal symptoms were less frequent, while fasciculations and bradycardia were quite uncommon on arrival. Only two patients presented with all typical signs of organophosphate poisoning as described in adults. Signs of carbamate poisoning were indistinguishable from those of organophosphate poisoning and included signs of myoneural and CNS cholinergic receptor involvement, in addition to parasympathetic muscarinic dysfunction. Atropine sulfate was found to have a clear beneficial CNS effect in addition to its known peripheral antimuscarinic effect. Our data suggest that the clinical presentation of carbamate and organophosphate poisoning in early childhood and its response to therapy are quite different from those of adults and older children.