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Edible cannabinoid exposure in pediatric patients: comparing hospital and poison center data
Matthew Kolbeck1,2, Michael Keenan1,2, Heather Territo3
1SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Introduction:
Poison center data plays an essential role in public health surveillance, but voluntary reporting may underrepresent the true burden of certain conditions, including symptomatic pediatric edible cannabinoid exposures. The objective of this study was to compare the number of symptomatic pediatric cannabinoid intoxication cases seen at three hospitals with those reported to a regional poison center in order to highlight the complementary nature of these data sets when considering the incidence of this exposure in our patient population.
Methods:
This institutional review board-approved, multicenter, retrospective review included children <6 years old with symptomatic cannabinoid exposure and a positive urine immunoassay for cannabinoids from January 2019 to December 2023. Cases were abstracted from hospital electronic medical records and the regional poison center database. Secondarily, the frequency of bedside toxicology consultation was also recorded for sites with an on-site toxicology service.
Results:
Among 1,407 hospital records reviewed, 296 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 180 were reported to the poison center. Underreporting varied by site, with the largest discrepancy at a center with on-site toxicologists. Bedside consultation occurred in 46.5% and 48.5% of cases at the two sites with bedside toxicology services.
Discussion:
Hospital cases of pediatric edible cannabinoid exposures exceeded those reported to the regional poison center at three large pediatric hospitals. The presence of a bedside toxicology consultant may impact the reporting practices of a particular hospital. These data emphasize the complementary nature of poison center and hospital data and suggest that improved surveillance and integration of data from both sources are essential to accurately assess the public health impact of pediatric cannabinoid exposures.
Conclusion:
This multicenter study found that hospital-identified cases of pediatric edible cannabinoid intoxication exceeded those reported to the regional poison center.
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