Retrospective Analysis of Demographic, Epidemiologic, and Clinical Characteristics of Poisoning in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: Poisonings are significant causes of preventable morbidities and mortalities in pediatric patients hospitalized in pediatric intensive care units. In this study, we aimed to evaluate demographic and epidemiologic features, interventions, treatments, clinical course, and prognosis of patients hospitalized in pediatric intensive care unit for poisoning retrospectively. Methods: The recordings of 172 patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with acute poisoning between 2015 and 2019 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: A total of 172 patients were admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit with the diagnosis of poisoning. Eighty-eight of them (51.2\%) were girl. The average age was 5.8 +/- 5.6 years, and mean length of stay was 2.9 days. It was noted that 72.1\% of patients with poisoning were accidental, whereas 27.9\% of them were suicidal. Majority of suicidal patients were girls (89.5\%), and the mean age was 13.1 +/- 4.9 years. However, only 36.2\% of patients with accidental poisoning were girls and the mean age was 3.1 +/- 2.6 years. Patients with poisoning were most commonly seen during spring. The most common cause of poisoning was drugs (76.7\%). Poisoning with multiple drugs were seen in 36 patients (20.9\%). Central nervous system drugs were the most common cause (32.7\%). Nausea-vomiting (17.4\%), altered mental status (12.7\%), and abdominal pain (7.5\%) were the most common symptoms. Thirteen patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. Five patients were treated with hemodialysis and eight patients treated with plasma exchange. Conclusion: Poisonings are important part of pediatric intensive care unit hospitalization. Accidental poisoning is common especially in children under five years of age. Taking preventive measures, educating parents about home accidents, storing medications in safe and locked places and keeping them out of reach of children can reduce the rate of accidental poisoning.