Retrospective evaluation of cases complaining to our Pediatric Emergency Department with complaints of taking drugs

In this study, cases presenting to our pediatric emergency department with drug intoxication were retrospectively examined. 212 cases aged between 1 month and 18 years who applied to the Harran University Hospital Pediatric Emergency Polyclinic with the complaint of taking medication between 2018 and 2023 were evaluated. The patients' age, gender, poisoning agent, time elapsed until admission to the hospital, how many cases were taken for the purpose of committing suicide, signs and symptoms at the time of initial admission, duration of hospitalization, and clinical findings were determined in detail. The medications taken were divided into antibiotics, analgesics, antipsychotics, antiepileptics, antihypertensives, and mixed types. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis in the SPSS 25.0 program. A total of 212 children, 139 (65.6%) female and 73 (34.4%) male, were included in the study. Female patients were 4.16±4.35 years old, and male patients were 8.35±6.24 years old. It was observed that 82.5% of the cases applied from the central districts of Şanlıurfa, 17.0% from other districts and 0.5% from another city. It was determined that 212 cases who participated in the study were exposed to intoxication due to a total of 294 drug active ingredients. It was observed that 75.0% of the cases took medication in tablet form, and 25.0% took medication in suspension-syrup or solution form. It was understood that 73.1% of the patients had consumed toxic doses of medication. It was determined that 22.6% of the drugs taken were antipsychotic-antidepressant, 20.8% were analgesics, 9% were vitamin-iron preparations, 9% were mixed type and 8.5% were anticonvulsant drugs. It was learned that 77.4% of the patients did not have the medicine or medicines they took. The cases arrived at the hospital an average of 150.57±295.17 minutes after taking the medication. Gastric lavage and activated charcoal were given to 38.7% of the incoming patients, and only activated charcoal was given to 36.3%. Only IV fluid support was administered to 86.3% of the cases during their hospitalization. When looking at the length of stay in the ward, it was determined that 43.4% of them were hospitalized for 2 days, and 55 of 212 patients were hospitalized in intensive care for an average of 1.46±0.90 days. It was observed that 69.8% of the patients were exposed to intoxication as a result of the child accidentally taking the medicine, and 28.3% were exposed to intoxication as a result of suicide. 76.4% of the cases were discharged after completion of follow-up and treatment. It was determined that intoxication due to analgesic, antipsychotic-antidepressant and vitamin-iron containing preparations was higher in cases in the 0-6 (infancy and pre-school) age group compared to other age groups. Key Words: Drug, Child, Poisoning