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Analysis of risk factors for severe acute poisoning in children

Jing Li1,2, Wei Kai Wang1

  • 1The First Clinical Medical College, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|August 22, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Gastric lavage may reduce severe poisoning in children, while left-behind children and self-poisoning increase risk. Antidote use may indicate higher risk, not cause it.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Toxicology
  • Clinical Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute poisoning in children is a significant health concern.
  • Identifying risk factors for severe poisoning is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify independent risk factors for the progression of acute poisoning to severe cases in children.
  • To provide a basis for early clinical identification and intervention.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective study of 726 hospitalized children with acute poisoning.
  • Classification into severe (PSS ≥3) and non-severe (PSS <3) groups.
  • Binary logistic regression to identify independent risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Adolescents had the highest proportion of severe cases (48.1%).
  • Gastric lavage was associated with lower odds of severe poisoning (OR=0.355).
  • Left-behind children (OR=3.013) and self-poisoning (OR=2.113) were independent risk factors for severe poisoning.

Conclusions:

  • Gastric lavage may be clinically valuable in pediatric poisoning.
  • Left-behind children and self-poisoning necessitate enhanced supervision and intervention.
  • Antidote use association with severity likely reflects confounding by indication.
Abstract

Keywords:
acute poisoningchildrenpoisoning severity scorerisk factorssevere poisoning

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