Abstract

GALVIS PEREZ, Aura Lucia; OSPINA DIAZ, Juan Manuel  and  MANRIQUE ABRIL, Fred Gustavo. Characterization of exogenous poisoning in children and teenagers at Sogamoso, Boyacá, during the period 2010 to 2013. Medicas UIS [online]. 2014, vol.27, n.1, pp.9-16. ISSN 0121-0319.

Introduction: exogenous poisoning has gradually acquired the status of a public health problem, particularly in the pediatric area, since they are causing up to 10% of all admissions to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Objective: to characterize the general epidemiological patterns of acute exogenous poisoning, occurred in children and teenagers aged less than 18 years, admitted to the emergency department of the Hospital Regional de Sogamoso, Boyacá, during the period between january 2010 and june 2013. Materials and Methods: descriptive observational study. We conducted a systematic review of 143 medical records of children aged less than 18 years, admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of exogenous intoxication. There were evaluated variables such as age, gender, agent, route of administration, motive, site of occurrence and final outcome. Results: mean age 10.5 years (SD = 5.6), 56.6% of cases occurred in girls. It was present two temporal patterns of intoxication, one accidental in children aged equal or less than five years and another motivated by suicidal ideation in teenagers, more common in female. Most events occurred at home and the substances most frequently involved were medicaments and hygiene products and cleaning as pesticides and disinfectants. There was high prevalence of accidental poisoning from contaminated food. In 5.9% of cases was found sexual abuse comorbidity. Conclusions: it's recommendable the design and implementation of educational activities aimed to parents and caretakers, as well as monitoring and control interventions on cases with propitiating situations of suicidal ideation such as depression and stress in teenagers. (MÉD.UIS. 2014;27(1):9-15)

Keywords : Poisoning; Home Accidents; Suicidal Ideation.

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