Eur J Med Res. 2025 Dec 2. doi: 10.1186/s40001-025-03633-w. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study aimed to furnish insights for the clinical diagnosis, valid prevention, and efficacious management of pediatric acute poisoning.
METHODS: The clinical records for children diagnosed primarily with acute poisoning, who were admitted to the Chengdu Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2024, were retrospectively examined. Clinical information such as age, gender, time of poisoning, season, visiting time, toxicant type, poisoning route, clinical manifestations, injured organs, length of hospitalization, treatments and outcomes were collected through medical record review.
RESULTS: 232 pediatric participants were included, with 77 (33.2%) males and 155 (66.8%) females, yielding a male-to-female ratio of 0.50:1. For age distribution, the school age and adolescent group comprised 59.9% of all cases, followed by the young child group (23.3%) and the preschool group (12.5%). Medicinal poisoning (134 cases, 57.8%) emerged as the most frequent cause of pediatric acute poisoning, followed by rodenticide poisoning (24 cases, 10.3%), herbicide poisoning (10 cases, 4.3%), and carbon monoxide (10 cases,4.3%). Medical intervention was given to the majority of patients (148 cases, 63.8%) within 6 h post-poisoning and a large proportion of patients (61.6%) were hospitalized for 3 days or fewer. In severe instances, multiple systems and organs can be impacted, resulting in irreversible bodily harm.
CONCLUSION: Pediatric acute poisoning manifests in various forms and clinical presentations, influenced by the nature and dosage of toxicants involved. Most acute poisonings are preventable, highlighting the urgent need for preventive measures. Besides, it is essential for parents, educators and psychiatric professionals to be vigilant regarding the mental well-being of adolescents.
PMID:41331758 | DOI:10.1186/s40001-025-03633-w
