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Acute poisoning in children; changes over the years, data of pediatric clinic department of toxicology
Authors: Keka Alije, Ramosaj A, Toro. H, Azemi. M, Baloku. A, Sylaj B, Lenjani. B, Kyseni. K
Number of views: 597
Objective: To present the frequency, etiology, changes over the years of acute poisoning in
children admitted to Pediatric Clinic of Pristina and to determine the extent and characteristics
of the problem, according to which related preventive measures can be taken. Methods:
Retrospectively we have analyzed the epidemiology of accidental and suicidal poisonings in
children hospitalization in Pediatric Clinic Department of Toxicology during the year 2012.
Our data we compared with data from previous studies on acute poisoning in children in the
Pediatric Clinic conducted during the years 1976-1985 and 2001. Results: During the year 2012,
in Pediatric Clinic of Pristina 5 723 children were hospitalized, 136 of them or 2.3% were treated
due to acute poisoning in Department of Toxicology, 82 of them was boys and 54 was girls, rate
boys girls was 1.5:1. The majority of cases 101 or 74.2% were under five years with peak age three
and 35% or 25.7% were over five years. The most of the cases was accidentally 97% and only
2.9% was suicidal and all of them were over the age of ten. Drugs were the most common agent
causing the poisoning 71 (52.2%) followed by house cleaning products 38 (27.9%), food 10 (5.8%),
pesticides 7 (5.14%), rare agent that caused poisoning were: narcotic substances, plant, heavy
metals, alcohol, carbon monoxide, carburant. Poisoning occurred mostly in spring and the peak
was observed in May, (1.17% of all patients). January was the month of lowest rate of poisoning.
During the years 1976-1985, in Pediatric Clinic of Pristina 900 children were hospitalized due to
acute poisoning, 44.11% were from drugs, 15.88% from pesticides, 65 (7.2%), while during 2001 in
the unit care intensive were hospitalized 66 children due to acute poisoning, among them 51.5%
were poisoning from drugs, 30.03 from pesticides, 12.2% from cleaning products. Conclusion:
In our study drugs and house cleaning products are the most frequent agents causing accidental
poisoning in children less than 5 years-old, this age of children is the most susceptible in terms
of morbidity. Compared with the previous studies in Pediatric Clinic of Pristina, drugs are still the
most frequent cause of acute poisoning in children; the number of poisoning with pesticides has
fallen but has increased the number of poisoning with cleaning products. All preventive measures
against poisoning should be taken including preventive strategies of education at national level
especially in drug and household product storage.