Acute poisoning in children: a retrospective case study

Introduction. Acute exposure to chemicals is the most common cause of poisoning in pediatric practice and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. In the available domestic literature, we have not found publications concerning up-to-date data on the etiological structure, clinical characteristics of patients and outcomes of acute poisoning in children. Knowledge of clinical manifestations and prognosis for various poisoning in children will help doctors of the outpatient level and the reception department of hospitals to quickly determine the tactics of patient management and prevent serious consequences.

Material and methods. In this retrospective study, the case histories of 300 children aged 0 to 18 years who were admitted to the emergency department of the third — level hospital — the Children’s Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan with acute poisoning for the period from 2018 to 2020 were studied.

Results. The study included 176 boys (58.6%) and 124 girls (41.4%). Poisoning was most common in the age periods from 1 to 3 years — 127 (42.3%) and from 12 to 18 years — 76 (25.3%). 67% of poisoning were unintentional, and in 33% of cases — intentional. The largest number of poisonings — 248 (82.7%) occurred at home, and 52 (17.3%) were poisoned outside the home. Of the 300 cases of poisoning, 70 (23.3%) were of mild severity, 151 (50.3%) of moderate severity, 79 (26.3%) of severe severity. The most common toxic substances were: chemical detergents, carbon monoxide, vasoconstrictor drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. All 300 patients survived.

Limitations of the study. The data of patients living in the Republic of Tatarstan who were admitted to the emergency department of the DRKB for the time period from 2018 to 2020 were studied.

Conclusion. Over the past 2 years, there has been an increase in the frequency of poisoning in the city of Kazan. Most patients had mild to moderate poisoning, more often unintentional. A serious condition was observed in adolescents when the cause of poisoning was a suicide attempt. The increase in the number of poisonings can be associated with the over-the-counter sale of a large number of drugs, their aggressive advertising, as well as improper storage at home.

Compliance with ethical standards: the study does not require the submission of the conclusion of the biomedical ethics committee.

Contribution of the authors: all co-authors made an equal contribution to the research and preparation of the article for publication. 

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: February 14, 2022 / Accepted: December 12, 2022 / Published: December 30, 2022