بررسي مسموميت هاي حاد منجر به بستري كودكان در بيمارستانهاي گلستان و ابوذر شهر اهواز در سالهاي 1382-1380

Acute poisoning in children admitted to Ahwaz Abuzar and Golestan hospitals 2001-2004

Objective: Poisoning represents one of the most common medical emergencies in children. Epidemiologic surveillance in each area is necessary for prevention planning program. The purpose of this study was to determine epidemiologic pattern of acute poisoning in Ahwaz during a 3-year period, from 2001 to 2004. Subjects and Methods: In this retrospective study, all children who were admitted due to acute poisoning in Abuzar and Golestan hospitals in Ahwaz during years 200 I to 2004 were included. Data were collected from medical records. Results: Of a total of 143 cases with acute poisoning, 59 (41.1%) were female and 84 patients (58.9%) were male. The age range of poisoned patients was between 40 days up to 12 years old (mean age 46.8 months). Most (71%) of poisoning occurred in the age group of 1-5 years. Accidental posoining by child occurred in 77.8 %, in 16% the poisons were given by others and 6.2 % were due to suicide attempts. The most common ingested materials were hydrocarbons (16%), alkaloid agents (12.6%), opiates (11.9%), tricyclic antidepressants (8.4%), anticonvulsants (6.3%), benzodiazepines (7.7%), antihypertensives (3.5%), antipsychotic (2.8%) and pesticides (4.2%). While multi-drug poisoning occurred in 2.8% of cases. In 7 % of cases. the implicated poisons were unidentified. Opiates were the most common agents in below 6 months old. Decreased level of consciousness (67.6%) and vomiting (5%) were the most common signs. The mean days of admission were 2.6 ± 1.67day. There was no mortality in this study. Conclusion: Accidental ingestion was the most common cause of poisoning and 1-5 years old were the most common affected age group. Public education on safe storage of medicines and chemicals and use of child-resistant containers is necessary. To decrease the frequency of opium poisoning parents should be informed about the harms of some herbal agents containing opiates which are using traditionally for infants and children in this region