Evaluation of clinical and laboratory characteristics of poisoning cases BY pharmacologicaldrugs who applied to the Adiyaman University Training and Research Hospital Pediatrics Emergency Department

Objective: In our study, we aimed to investigate the demograpic, socia-cultural and laboratory findings of the patients who admitted to Adıyaman Unıversity Hospital Children Emergency Service for medical drug intoxication, retrospectively. We also aimed to put forward the possible preventional methods. Materials and methods: In our study, we investigated the recorded informations of 256 patients who applied to Adıyaman Unıversity Hospital Children Emergency for medical drugs intoxication between January and December 2013. We evaluated the parameters; age, sex, living place, social status, parents education, hospitilazition time and the duration between intoxication and application to hospital. We also recorded laboratory findings, type of drug and the reason of intoxication (accidentally-suicidal). We used the SPSS 20.0 for statistical analysis. Results: We include 256 patients in our study. While 180 of the patients (70.3%) were poisoned accidentally, 76 of patients (29.7%) were poisoned suicidal. 134 of patients (%52.3) were female, 122 (%47,7) of patients were male. Considering all poisoning cases, there was no statistically differences in terms of gender. However, there was a significant increase for female in suicidial cases. (p<0,001). There were no relationship between poisoning and parents education levels. There was significant delay for the duration between intoxication and application to hospital in suicidal cases (p<0.05). 216 patients were poisoned by one drug, 28 were poisoned by two drugs, and 2 were poisoned by 3 or more than drugs. Despite multiple drug poisoning rate was 5.3% for accidentally poisoning, was 39.5% for suicidal poisoning (p<0.001). When we evaluate the educational status of parents, we observe that maternal education levels were significantly lower than fathers levels, especially in above high school. The most common poisoning agents were analgesics and antipyretics (41.7%). Leucosytosis (7%), increased creatinin (%4.6) and increased LDH (3.9) were most common pathological laboratory findings.Sinusoidal tachycardia (12%) and prolonged QT interval (5%) were most common pathological ECG findings.Despite symptomatic treatments were mostly sufficient, additioanal treatments were needed for some cases. There was no statistically difference in terms of length of hospital stay between two groups. Conclusion: Despite poisonings are observed in all age groups, accidental intoxications are observed younger than 9 years and suicidal poisonings are observed older than 12 years. We believe that a significant reduction in mortality or adverse outcomes can be achieved thanks to raising the educational level of the society, early admission to the hospital, appropriate treatments and close monitoring in poisoning cases. Key words: poisonings, pharmalogical drug, childhood, demographical features, laboratory findings.