ACCIDENTAL POISONING IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ADMITTED TO A REFERRAL TOXICOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF A BRAZILIAN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL

Acute exogenous intoxications in childhood: factors related to hospitalization

OBJECTIVE

To describe the profile of children assisted in the Emergency Room of a Children reference Hospital in the South of Brazil, victims of acute poisoning between 2016 and 2021, to characterize the toxic agents and to present the factors related to hospitalization.

METHODS

Retrospective, descriptive and observational study with data collection from medical records at a children's hospital from July 2016 to June 2021 based on the compulsory notification forms. The characteristics of victims, of the incident, the type and class of the substance involved, the procedures demanded and the need for the Intensive Care Unit were evaluated. The outcome considered was hospitalization. Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for the categorical variables and measures of central tendency and dispersion for the numerical ones. Binary logistic regression was performed to identify variables related to hospitalization.

RESULTS

There were 411 consultations, with the mean age of 7.2±5.5 years, and predominance of females (59.9%). Most of the poisoning occurred at home (82.1%) and orally (93.7%). Chemicals or cleaning products were the main agents in children up to 1 year of age, whereas in the other age groups accidents occurred most frequently with medicines. Hospital admission occurred in 38.7% of the cases, with related variables being: number of agents, type of substance involved, medication that acts on the Central Nervous System, recurrence, motivation (accidental/intentional), and performance of simple exams.

CONCLUSIONS

More preventive actions are needed, such as legislation, as well as greater guidance to parents on how to store products in the domestic environment, in order to reduce the number of exogenous intoxications in the pediatric population.

Mental health emergency admissions in the paediatric emergency department

AIM

To evaluate the demographic characteristics, diagnoses and length of stay of mental health emergency attendance to the paediatric emergency department (ED), to determine the burdens these patients brought to the paediatric ED and to the national economy by examining hospital costs.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital's paediatric ED in Turkey. Data were obtained from the electronic medical record system from January 2018 to January 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 142 admissions were included of whom 60% were female. The mean age was 15.2 ± 1.8 years, 50% of cases were suicide attempts and 19% were alcohol intoxications. The majority (85.9%) of patients were discharged from the emergency observation unit. Among the diagnostic groups, the mean age was higher in patients with a history of substance abuse. There was a female predominance among patients who were admitted due to suicide attempts. Among the diagnostic groups, the duration of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization were higher in patients who were followed up with a diagnosis of suicide attempt.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health problems are frequent in the paediatric ED. We determined that the most common cause of attendance in paediatric emergencies was suicide attempts, and the length of hospital stay and hospital cost were higher in this diagnostic group. Although further research is necessary to determine national trends in paediatric mental health problems in the paediatric ED, screening strategies and early detection and interventions in primary healthcare may allow more effective care for childhood mental health problems.

Analysis of notified drug poisoning among children in Santa Catarina state, 2016-2020

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of drug poisoning in children registered in the Santa Catarina Information and Toxicological Assistance Center between 2016 and 2020.

METHODS

This observational epidemiological study, with a historical cohort design, was carried out from reported cases of drug poisoning in children aged 0-12 years. Census sampling was used to collect data.

RESULTS

There were 4839 reported cases of drug poisoning among children in the State of Santa Catarina in the surveyed period, with an average annual incidence rate of 6 cases/1000 live births. The median age was 3 years. Most cases of poisoning occurred among girls aged 0-3 years by accidental ingestion of drugs at home. There was a predominance of signs and symptoms affecting the nervous system; only a small portion required hospitalization. Most cases were considered mild poisoning with a favorable outcome. No deaths were recorded. There was a tendency of increasing cases over time, however not significant. There is a predominance of incident cases in the Great West of the state, followed by the Midwest and Serra Catarinense regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Drug poisoning in children is predominant in early childhood, mainly caused by accidental ingestion of drugs at home. These findings highlight the importance of preventive and educational measures among family members and caregivers.

Acute poisoning among children and adolescents: a narrative review

Background: Acute poisoning is a frequent emergency and a significant health concern in the pediatric population. The pattern of acute intoxication differs between countries and within each country. Poisoning depends on many factors. It can be divided into two categories (accidental and intentional), and each one has its own characteristics. Aim of the study: This study aimed to analyze and discuss the overall patterns of accidental and intentional poisoning among children and adolescents. Material and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, Elsevier, and the PubMed database. The following keywords were used: “acute poisoning”, “pediatric poisoning”, “intentional poisonings”, “unintentional poisonings”, and “suicide attempts”. Results: A total of 38 articles were included in the review. Half had been published in the last five years. The analysis focused on the characteristics of the materials and methods, results, and conclusions sections of each study. Conclusions: Unintentional poisonings dominate among younger children, with a slight male predominance. They usually occur at home and occasionally lead to severe harm or even death. The most common causes of intoxication in this population are medications and household products. The majority of poisonings among adolescents are intentional suicide attempts. Among older children, over-the-counter analgesics are the most common cause of acute poisoning. Accidental poisoning can be avoided by providing preventive educational programs to guardians and replacing potentially toxic household products with safer ones. The prevention of intentional poisoning should be based on a community support system and behavioral programs. Healthcare professionals should be familiar with poisoning and be aware of the different patterns of intoxication according to age and gender.

Root cause qualitative analysis of acute childhood poisonings as a study of sentinel surveillance

Objective: To analyze the root cause of occurrences of severe intoxication in children and adolescents from the perspective of sentinel events. Methods: Observational, retrospective, and qualitative study of a series of cases of seven children and young people with a confirmed clinical picture of intoxication by various agents, treated in a stabilization room of emergency care units or intensive care, and notified to toxicological information and assistance center from January to June 2019. The epidemiological surveillance of sentinel events was used based on a review of hospital documents and in-depth interviews with family members. The Root Cause Analysis (RCA) matrix was used to evaluate the cases and the systematic reconstruction of the cases' antecedents.Results: The age profile of the study population, the pattern of agents and substances involved - poisoning by intentional ingestion in five (71%) cases, indicated critical points and missed opportunities for prevention. The individual and family history analysis indicated as direct causal factors the deviations from norms for preventing poisoning at home or in the family context for all cases.The prevention and health promotion activities in the health services constituted the underlying causes of the occurrences.Conclusion: The root cause analysis identified a deficiency in public policies, but the interface between education, public security, social assistance, economy, and health policies would be preponderant for preventing childhood and youth poisoning.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Acute Poisoning in Children in Southwestern China: A Review of 1755 Cases from 2014 to 2020

Purpose

Acute poisoning is a major cause of disability and death in children, but there is a lack of large-scale and multicenter epidemiological data on acute poisoning in children.

Patients and Methods

The current study was a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 1755 children aged 0 to 14 years who were hospitalized between 01 January 2014 and 31 December 2020 in southwestern China.

Results

Acute poisoning was common in childhood, particularly in early childhood (607; 34.6%) and preschool (655; 37.3%), and most cases occurred in rural areas (1191; 67.9%). It was more common in boys (934; 53.2%) than in girls (821; 46.8%). In urban areas, poisoning was mainly caused by drugs (266; 47.2%), chemical agents (59; 10.5%), and alcohol (54; 9.6%). In rural areas, it was mainly caused by pesticides (620; 52.1%) and medications (213; 17.9%), the route of poisoning was usually the digestive tract (1671; 95.2%), in most cases the poisoning was accidental (1618; 92.3%), and pesticides (659; 37.5%) and medications (479; 27.3%) predominated. After timely treatment, the majority of patients had no substantial organ damage, sequelae, or disabilities, and mortality was low (17; 1.0%).

Conclusion

Acute poisoning is a frequent accident in childhood, mainly in infants and preschool children, mostly in rural areas, and poisoning mostly occurs via the digestive tract. Family and community education should be conducted to prevent poisoning.

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Epidemiological profile and temporal trend of exogenous intoxications in children and adolescents

Objective:

To describe the epidemiological profile and to analyze the trend in the incidence rate of exogenous poisoning concerning children and adolescents (0–19 years old) in the city of Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil, in the period from 2007 to 2015.

Methods:

Observational study with data extracted from the Notifiable Diseases Information System. The variables sex, age group, toxic agent, and circumstance were analyzed using descriptive statistics. For temporal analysis, cut-off rates of incidence/10,000 inhabitants were calculated and the inflection point regression model was used for analysis.

Results:

There were 5,539 cases of exogenous intoxication in individuals aged 0–19 years in the city, of which 53.1% (n=2,944) occurred in girls and 61.5% (n=3,405) in children aged 0–9 years. Medicines consisted in the main agent responsible for intoxications (28.5%; n=1,580), mainly by accidental use (18.2%; n=1,010). There was a significant increase in the events during the study period (Average Annual Percent Change: 12.7; 95%CI 1.1–25.6; p<0.001), with rates increasing from 56.52/10,000 inhabitants in 2007 to 56.64/10,000 inhabitants in 2015. The incidence of cases in girls increased from 57.34/10,000 inhabitants in 2007 to 62.27/10,000 inhabitants in 2015. In boys, the incidence of cases was stationary: 55.69/10,000 inhabitants to 50.9 /10,000 inhabitants in the same period.

Conclusions:

The study showed a higher frequency of cases in girls aged 0 to 4 years and an increasing trend in the incidence rate during the study period. Implementation of actions and strategies, with emphasis on health education, is needed in order to prevent cases of exogenous intoxication.

Perfil epidemiológico e tendência temporal de intoxicações exógenas em crianças e adolescentes

Resumo Objetivo: Descrever o perfil epidemiológico e analisar a tendência da taxa de incidência por intoxicações exógenas ocorridas em crianças e adolescentes (0–19 anos) em Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brasil, no período de 2007 a 2015. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo observacional com dados extraídos do Sistema de Informações de Agravos de Notificação. No componente descritivo, foram analisadas as variáveis sexo, faixa etária, agente tóxico e circunstância mediante estatística descritiva (frequência). Para a análise temporal, foram calculadas as taxas de incidência/10 mil habitantes e foi utilizado o modelo de regressão por pontos de inflexão para a análise. Resultados: Ocorreram 5.539 casos de intoxicações exógenas em indivíduos de 0 a 19 anos em Arapiraca (AL), dos quais 53,1% (n=2.944) eram do sexo feminino e 61,5% (n=3.405) eram crianças de 0 a 9 anos. Os principais agentes responsáveis pelas intoxicações foram medicamentos (28,5%; n=1.580) e a circunstância frequente foi uso acidental (18,2%; n=1.010). Houve variação do coeficiente de incidência geral, o qual apresentou comportamento temporal crescente (average annual percent change: 12,7; intervalo de confiança — IC95% 1,1–25,6; p<0,001) e cuja taxa passou de 56,52/10.000 habitantes para 56,64/10.000 habitantes. A incidência de casos, no sexo feminino, passou de 57,34/10.000 habitantes para 62,27/10.000 habitantes e apresentou tendência crescente. Já no sexo masculino, a incidência de casos passou de 55,69/10.000 habitantes para 50,99/10.000 habitantes e apresentou comportamento temporal estacionário. Conclusões: O estudo demonstrou maior frequência de casos no sexo feminino, na faixa de 0 a 4 anos, e tendência crescente da taxa de incidência. Recomenda-se a implementação de ações e estratégias, com destaque para a educação em saúde, a fim de prevenir casos de intoxicação exógena.

Characterization of Acute Poisoning in Hospitalized Children in Southwest China

Objective: Acute poisoning in children is characterized by regional differences. This study described the basic situation of childhood poisoning in southwest China based on hospitalized cases. Data and Methods: A total of 1,076 acute poisoning cases among hospitalized children admitted to Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2012 to December 2020 were included in this study. Clinical data such as gender, age, living environment, poisonous substance, and cause of poisoning were statistically described. Trends of length of hospital stay, population distribution, poisonous substances, and causes of acute poisoning in the hospitalized children were compared over time. Results: The cohort comprised 588 males and 488 females; 811 cases lived in rural areas and the rest resided in urban areas. Most cases were between early childhood and school age. Poisoning usually occurred at home (973 cases, 90.4%). Pesticides (381 cases, 35.4%) and drugs (275 cases, 25.6%) were the two most common poisonous substances. Two main causes of poisoning were accidental taking (755 cases, 70.2%) and suicide (177 cases, 16.4%). The results of univariate analysis of suicide showed significant correlations among gender, place of residence, age, poisonous substance, and place of suicide (P < 0.001), while living environment (town), age (adolescence), and poisonous substance (pesticide, drug) were independent risk factors (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in the length of hospital stay for poisoning over time. The overall number of hospitalizations presented a decreasing trend, while the number of urban children gradually increased. The proportion of adolescent poisoned children and suicidal children increased in the last 3 years. Conclusion: Optimizing the package and distribution channels of pesticides and drugs, raising safety awareness of children to avoid accidental injuries, and paying attention to children's mental health are measures that are necessary to prevent poisoning in children.

Dialogic educational practices in the context of child intoxication: an approach based on Paulo Freire

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the knowledge and practices of education of Family Health Strategy professionals regarding child intoxication for the autonomy and empowering of the families.

METHODS

Qualitative research, carried out through semistructured interviews with 50 professionals from the Family Health Strategy of a city in the Northwest of Paraná. Data was problematized using Paulo Freire's sociocultural approach and its concepts of dialogism and autonomy.

RESULTS

The statements showed the many ways in which the care for child intoxication is perceived and their relations with educational action, but these were traditional educational practices, with elements focused on the dissemination of information about health-disease, probably because the dialogic approach is still abstract and has no interface with the concrete practices.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

The education knowledge and practices of the professionals for the autonomy and empowering of families suggested that there is a transition stage between the biomedical model, focused on a cure, and the dialogical one.

Evaluation of Pediatric Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department Due to Drug Intoxication

Introduction: Pediatric intoxication cases are one of the important emergency room admissions. Early diagnosis and treatment are important in reducing morbidity and mortality. The prevalence and exposure types of pediatric intoxications have social and regional differences. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively analyze the demographic and epidemiological characteristics, clinical course, and prognosis of patients admitted to our Emergency Medicine Clinic due to poisoning.

Materials and Methods: In our study, the files of patients under 18 who were considered drug intoxicated and admitted to the ED were scanned retrospectively between 01.01.2018 and 31.12.2019. The cases were grouped as preschool (0-4 years old), school-age (4-12 years old), and adolescent (12-18 years old). The relationship between the frequency of emergency admissions of the patients, the variety of active ingredients, the amount taken, the need for hospitalization according to the active ingredients, admission times, arrival time to the emergency room, age, and gender were analyzed.

Results: When the distributions by age groups are examined, most of the patients constitute the two-year-old (22%). Besides, it was found that among the age groups, there were more girls than boys in the 12-18 age group. A statistically significant difference was found between the frequency of active substance intake and gender differences according to age groups (p <0.001, p <0.001, respectively). However, no statistically significant relationship was found between age groups and seasonal admission frequencies (p = 0.055).

Conclusions: Our study found a statistically significant difference in the amount of active substance taken or exposed to by age groups and gender. However, this finding does not explain the effect of active substance intake or exposure and gender on mortality and morbidity, probably due to the limited sample size.

AVAILABILITY AND STORAGE OF HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS IN HOUSEHOLDS IN THE METROPOLITAN REGION OF MANAUS: A POPULATION-BASED SURVEY, 2015

OBJECTIVE

The availability of hazardous products in households increases the risks of poisoning. The present study aimed to assess the frequency and associated factors of the availability and storage of hazardous products in residences in the metropolitan region of Manaus.

METHODS

Population-based and cross-sectional study conducted in 2015 with adults selected with three-stage probabilistic sampling. Participants were interviewed face-to-face. Prevalence ratio (PR) of the presence of hazardous products (presence of chumbinho [illegal anti-cholinesterase rodenticide], artisanal cleaning products, and unsafe storage of these products and medications) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated with Poisson regression with robust variance, weighted by the complex sampling method adopted.

RESULTS

A total of 4,001 participants was included, of which 53.0% (95%CI 51.5-54.6) reported presence of hazardous products in their households, 36.3% (95%CI 34.8-37.8) had unsafe storage, 16.2% (95%CI 15.1-17.4) had artisanal cleaning products, and 8.2% (95%CI 7.4-9.1) had chumbinho. Households with children ≤5 years old had safer storage (PR=0.78; 95%CI 0.71-0.86) and more artisanal products (PR=1.30; 95%CI 1.11-1.51). Presence of artisanal products was higher in lower educational levels (PR=2.20; 95%CI 1.36-3.57) and lower economic classifications (PR=1.63; 95%CI 1.25-2.13).

CONCLUSIONS

Over half of the households in the metropolitan region of Manaus kept hazardous products; one-third stored them unsafely. Artisanal cleaning products and chumbinho were frequently present. Households with children had safer storage of products, and socioeconomic factors affected the availability of such hazardous products.