Evaluation of intoxicated patients hospitalized in a newly-opened level two pediatric intensive care unit.

AIM: The study aimed to retrospectively examine the demographic and etiological characteristics, prognosis and length of stay in intensive care unit of intoxicated patients hospitalized in Level two Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Samsun.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study retrospectively examined the records of patients hospitalized between 14(th) March 2014 and 14(th) March 2015 in Level two Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Samsun with respect to age, gender, cause of poisoning, time of emergency department admission, length of hospitalization and prognosis.

RESULTS: Of 82 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, 29 (35.3%) were male and 53 (64.6%) were female. The mean age of the male and female patients was 7.89±6.3 years and 11.2±5.7 years, respectively and the mean age of the study group was 10.04±6.1. Twenthy one (39,6%) of the female patients were at the age group of 0-14 years and 32 (60.4%) were at the age group of 14-18 years. Twenthy (68.9%) of the male patients were at the age group of 0-14 years and nine (31.1%) were at the age group of 14-18 years. The cause of poisoning was drug intoxication (antidepressants, antibiotics, painkillers and other drugs) in 64 patients (78%) and the remaining 18 patients (22%) were admitted to hospital for other causes (rat poison, mushroom, carbonmonoxide, scorpion stings, bonzai and pesticides). Thirthy eight (46.3%) of all the patients used such substances for suicidal purpose. Thirthy three (62.2%) of these were female and 32 were at the age group of 14-18 years. Fourty (48.7%) of the patients who ingested medication ingested one drug, while 24 (29.2%) ingested multiple drugs. Antidepressants were found to be the most commonly used drugs (31.2%). The mean hospital admission time was 3.41±2 hours and the mean time of intensive care unit stay was 2.89±1.04 days. No mortality was recorded. Thirthy patients (36.5%) were referred to the Pediatric Psychiatric Unit as outpatients after discharge and three patients (3.6%) were referred to Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment and Research Centre.

CONCLUSIONS: Because the rate of drug intoxication was found to be substantially high in this study, we think that politics related with education of parents on this issue, packaging of drugs in such a way that children can not open these packages and drug supply should be reviewed.