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Acute drug intoxication in childhood: a 10-year retrospective observational single-centre study and case reports
Petra Matalova1, Michal Buchta1, Vendula Drietomska1
1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Insights
Preventable medication poisoning in children is a serious concern. Most cases involve toddlers and adolescents, with analgesics being the most common culprits. Safe storage of medicines is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Toxicology
- Public Health
Background:
- Medication poisoning in children is a significant, preventable health risk.
- Lack of public awareness regarding safe drug handling and storage contributes to accidental poisonings.
- This study examines pediatric drug intoxications at a university hospital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of children hospitalized for acute drug-induced intoxication.
- To identify trends and risk factors associated with pediatric poisoning.
- To provide illustrative case reports on presentations and outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records for patients under 19 years old admitted for poisoning between 2010-2019.
- Prospective evaluation of medical records.
- Creation of overview tables and graphs to analyze predefined research objectives.
Main Results:
- 162 children hospitalized for suspected drug intoxication; 66.7% were girls.
- Toddlers (40.1%) were most affected by accidental poisoning; adolescents accounted for 27.2% with suicidal intent.
- Analgesics, particularly paracetamol, were the most common drug group involved (37.7%).
Conclusions:
- Accidental drug poisonings are most common in toddlers (1-3 years old).
- Adolescents represent the second-highest incidence group, often linked to suicide attempts.
- Safe medication storage, out of children's reach, is essential to prevent poisonings.
Background:
Medication poisoning in children is a severe condition that can endanger a child's life. Although drug intoxications are easily preventable, awareness of the proper handling of drugs and their safe storage out of the reach of children is not widespread among the general public. In this work, we investigated the demographic and clinical data of children admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the University Hospital Olomouc for acute drug-induced intoxication. We also selected several case reports to illustrate the wide range of both presentations and outcomes in individual patients.
Method:
Cases of drug-induced intoxications were selected from a group of patients under the age of 19 years admitted to the hospital for poisoning between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Medical records of these patients were prospectively evaluated, and overview tables and graphs of predefined research objectives were created.
Results:
During the given time period, 162 children with suspected drug intoxications were hospitalized at the Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Olomouc. Of these, 108 cases were reported in girls and 54 in boys (66.7% vs. 33.3%). In 16 cases (9.9%), there was a severe intoxication requiring follow-up intensive care. There was also one case of fatal accidental intoxication. Most poisonings were seen in toddlers (65; 40.1%). Intoxication with suicidal ideation was found in 44 cases (27.2%), with a higher incidence of suicide attempts in girls (40 vs. 4). Repeated intoxication was recorded in nine cases. Analgesics were the most common drug group (61; 37.7%), with paracetamol (28; 17.3%) being the leading drug. In 154 cases (95.1%), the drugs were taken orally, most often in the form of tablets.
Conclusion:
Accidental drug intoxications most frequently occurred in the age group from one to three years old. The second highest incidence was among adolescents most of which were suicide attempts. Analgesics and psychoactive agents accounted for the majority of cases. Medications should be kept in places where children cannot reach them.
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