AN EVALUATION OF ACUTE INTOXICATIONS IN CHILDHOOD AT THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify epidemiological and clinical characteristics of childhood patients who were
brought to our hospital emergency service due to intoxication.
Methods: Cases were evaluated in terms of gender, age, month of application, hours of application, way of arrival to the
hospital, cause of intoxication, way of entrance to the body (oral, dermal, inhaler), type of intoxication (suicide, accident),
treatments, result (discharge, hospitalization, referral) and length of hospital stay. Chi square test and Mann-Whitney U Test
were used for comparison of groups. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant in all analyzes.
Results: 147 pediatric patients admitted to our emergency service with intoxication. Average age of patients was
6.61±5.9. Intoxication was most common among 0-5 age group. Most common type of intoxication was accidental. Most
common causes of intoxication were drugs (66%). Most common medication type in drug intoxications were analgesicsantipyretics (29.7%). The most case occurred in winter (32%).
Conclusion: More care should be taken in the care of children between the ages of 0-5 and adolescent girls. We think
that it will be beneficial for emergency physicians to have information about the epidemiological and clinical features of
intoxications in the region they work.