Clinicoepidemiological Pattern and Outcome of Poisoning in Children in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Western Nepal

Abstract

INTRODUCTION
Poisoning in children is one of the leading public health problem in low and middle income countries and a common cause of morbidity and mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
This prospective observational study was conducted for one year from 1^st June, 2019 to 31^st May 2020 to study the clinicoepidemiological pattern and outcome of children with poisoning in a tertiary care hospital of western Nepal.

RESULTS
Total 38 children with poisoning were admitted and enrolled during the study period. The frequency of poisoning in children aged 0-5 years, 6-10 years and 11-16 years were 47.4%, 18.4% and 34.2% respectively. Poisoning was predominant in females (n=21, 55.3%). Majority poisoning cases (55.3%) were noticed in between May to August. More than three-fourth of the poisoning cases were noticed in the afternoons and evenings. Pesticides (organophosphorus, fungicide, herbicide, aluminium phosphide, and household rodenticides/insecticides) constituted 55.7% of total poisoning cases. Household rodenticides/ insecticides, volatile hydrocarbons and organophosphorus poisonings were noticed in 23.7%, 15.8% and 13.2% respectively.

Three-fourth of the cases were symptomatic during the presentation where vomiting (76.3%), abdominal pain (34.2%) and constricted pupils (18.4%) were three major clinical symptoms and signs due to poisoning. About 84.2% cases survived. Complications were observed in about 15.8% cases where shock and respiratory failure was seen in 10.5% each followed by pneumonia (7.9%) and hepatitis (5.3%).

CONCLUSION
Poisoning was common in children less than 5 years of age and majority of them were accidental in nature. Household rodenticides/insecticides, volatile hydrocarbons and organophosphorus poisonings were common types of poisoning.