Hydrogen peroxide exposure--325 exposures reported to a regional poison control center

Isolated case reports have documented that hydrogen peroxide exposure can be associated with serious toxicity by various routes of exposure. The purpose of this study was to better delineate the epidemiology, medical outcome, and potential health hazards of hydrogen peroxide exposures to the general public. We performed a retrospective review of all exposures reported to a regional poison center over a 36 month period and found that of 95,052 exposures reported, 325 (.34%) were due to hydrogen peroxide. The pediatric population (< 18 years) accounted for 71% of hydrogen peroxide exposures and ingestion was the most common route of exposure (83%). Nausea and vomiting were the most common symptoms secondary to ingestion. Ocular and dermal exposures to dilute solutions resulted in transient symptoms without permanent sequelae. While most exposures by all routes resulted in a benign outcome (no effect or minor effect), there was a trend toward more severe outcomes in those who ingested a concentration greater than 10% (p = 0.011).