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Assessing Paracetamol Overdose in Children: Acceptability and Potential Market for a Non-Invasive Testing Device
Debora Freitas1, Christopher Parry2,3, Gabrielle Seddon4
1Emergency Department, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, UK.
Insights
A new transdermal sensor for measuring paracetamol levels in children shows high acceptability among patients and healthcare professionals. This non-invasive technology could improve overdose assessment, reducing the need for blood tests.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Toxicology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Paracetamol overdose assessment in children typically requires blood tests 4 hours post-ingestion.
- A novel transdermal paracetamol measuring device has been developed.
- Understanding user acceptance and market potential is crucial for this new technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acceptability of a transdermal paracetamol measuring device in children and teenagers.
- To evaluate the potential market size for non-invasive paracetamol monitoring.
- To compare the perspectives of children, parents, and healthcare professionals on the device.
Main Methods:
- Questionnaire study involving 139 participants (55 children, 52 parents, 32 healthcare professionals).
- Retrospective audit of paracetamol ingestion cases in a pediatric emergency department.
- Analysis of device acceptability based on appearance, willingness to wear, and prioritized features.
Main Results:
- High overall device acceptability (60.0% favorable appearance, 81.5% willingness to wear).
- Accuracy was the most critical feature for all groups; comfort was least important.
- Parents prioritized avoiding blood tests more than children did.
- Over 7000 children annually present with accidental paracetamol overdose in the UK.
Conclusions:
- A non-invasive paracetamol sensor demonstrates high acceptability across all user groups, contingent on assured accuracy.
- The transdermal device offers a promising alternative to blood tests for paracetamol overdose management in pediatric patients.
- This technology has significant potential to impact pediatric emergency care and reduce invasive procedures.
Background:
Assessment of paracetamol overdose in children and teenagers in the emergency department (ED) requires blood, taken 4 hours post ingestion. A commercial partner developed transdermal paracetamol measuring technology. This work aims to understand the acceptability of such a device, and potential market size.
Methods:
A questionnaire study was undertaken with children and parents attending Alder Hey Children's Hospital, and healthcare professionals (HCP) involved in their care. A retrospective audit of paracetamol ingestion presenting to a paediatric ED was undertaken.
Results:
One hundred forty-three questionnaires were distributed, and 139 returned (response rate 97.2%), comprising 55 children, 52 parents and 32 HCP (recruited between August-October 2019). Overall device acceptability, assessed by favourability of appearance and willingness to wear was high, at 60.0% and 81.5% respectively. Concerns raised included bulky size and weight, and concern regarding the duration younger children would tolerate wearing the device. All groups, including children, ranked accuracy of results as the most important device feature and device comfort the least important. Parents prioritised avoidance of blood tests more than children. One hundred twenty-seven children presented to ED with paracetamol ingestion (September 2017-August 2018), with 57 (44.9%) categorised as accidental overdose. Overall, 106 (83.4%) required paracetamol concentration measuring, and 25 (19.7%) of these required treatment with N-acetylcysteine. Extrapolating nationally, over 7000 children will present with accidental overdose per annum in the UK.
Conclusion:
Acceptability of a non-invasive paracetamol sensor was high in all groups, provided accuracy could be assured.
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