Toxico-surveillance of infant and toddler poisonings in the United States

J Med Toxicol. 2012 Sep;8(3):263-6. doi: 10.1007/s13181-012-0227-1.

Abstract

Infant and toddler poisonings are important to capture and may be challenging to manage. We aim to describe the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Case Registry as a tool for toxico-surveillance of this problem in the United States. Using the ToxIC Case Registry database of the American College of Medical Toxicology, we identified infant and toddler poisonings over a 15-month period between April 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 reported to the 31 Registry sites. Of 6,810 poisoning cases reported to the ToxIC registry, 248 (3.6 %) involved children younger than 2 years (51 % males). Fifty-four percent were hospital inpatients, 42 % were in the Emergency Department and 4 % were outpatients. Sixty-three percent were symptomatic. The most common ingested compounds were highly toxic-cardiac drugs (16 %), psychotropics (15 %), recreational drugs, alcohols, and controlled narcotic drugs (13 %), analgesics (9 %), and cleaning compounds (7 %). Fourteen percent of cases involved multiple agents. The ToxIC registry is a potentially useful toxico-surveillance tool to identify and trend clinically significant poisonings in young children, and potentially other populations. These data could be used to target specific preventive interventions.

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / toxicity
  • Antidepressive Agents / toxicity
  • Antipsychotic Agents / toxicity
  • Cardiovascular Agents / toxicity
  • Cohort Studies
  • Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / epidemiology*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Inpatients
  • Male
  • Outpatients
  • Poisoning / epidemiology*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Psychotropic Drugs / toxicity
  • Registries*
  • Toxicology
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Cardiovascular Agents
  • Psychotropic Drugs