Pattern And Severity of Acute Poisoning Among Adolescents: A Six Months Prospective Study in Poison Control Center- Ain Shams University Hospitals

Adolescence is a cross road in life, the positive force in the society and is the gateway to the promotion of health. Most behavioral patterns acquired during adolescence will last a lifetime affecting the health and wellbeing of future adults.
Acute poisoning is one of the most common health related problems in adolescents due to its high frequency, morbidity and mortality worldwide. Moreover, alcohol and illicit drug abuse with their possible acute intoxication are considered among the most important global public health problem with their genesis and initiation during adolescence.
The aim of the study: is to study the pattern and severity of poisoning among adolescent patients admitted to the Poison Control Center, Ain Shams University Hospitals (PCC-ASUH) over a six months period from the first of July 2013 to the end of December 2013, aiming to give sufficient information to provide adequate supply of treatment required for the most common intoxications.
Subjects and methods: All poisoned adolescents during the study period were enrolled and evaluated with more focus on those admitted to inpatient wards and intensive care unit (ICU) as more data can be obtained owing to longer hospital stay. The evaluation of severity of intoxication of the patients under the study was assessed according to the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS) of European Association of Poisons Centers and Clinical Toxicologists.
Results:            
Out of the 1931 acutely intoxicated adolescents received by (PCC- ASUH), 408 adolescents were admitted. Tramadol was the most commonly abused agent among adolescents (50.9%). Accidental poisoning was more common in early adolescence while self-poisoning was more prevalent among middle and late adolescents. Substance abuse represented 6.55% in late adolescence while only 2.54% in early adolescence stage. By applying PSS, it was found that 65.2% were classified as grade 0, 23.6% as grade 1, 7% as grade 2, 3.8% as grade 3 and 0.4% as grade 4.
Conclusion: Self-poisoning represented a real tragedy among adolescents with self-poisoning being the most common manner of poisoning and the most common age group affected was the late adolescence period while accidental poisoning was common in early adolescence stage. Higher PSS was associated with lower age as well as increased hospital stay duration.