Epidemiological Profile of Acute Domestic Poisoning (ADP) in Children at the Hopital Spécialisé Mère-Enfant Blanche Gomes in Brazzaville (Congo)
Abstract:
Introduction: Domestic poisoning includes all cases of accidental or deliberate ingestion of harmful substances, with an impact of varying severity on the general condition of the child. The objective of this study is to describe the epidemiological profile of ADP in children in the pediatric department of the Hôpital Spécialisé Mère-Enfant Blanche GOMES (HSMEBG).
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study, with retrospective collection, covering the period from 2019 to 2023. The files of children aged 1 month to 17 years hospitalized at the HSMEBG for ADP were used. Epi-info 7.2.5.0 softwares was used for statistical analyses.
Results: Out of 5,250 new admissions, 76 cases of ADP were collected, i.e. a hospital frequency of 1.45%. The median age was 21 months (Q1=15 months, Q3=48 months). Children aged one to 5 years were the most represented (68.42%). The sex ratio was 0.77. In 40% of cases, ingestion took place at night. Ingestions were accidental in 86% of cases and voluntary, with suicidal intent in 14%. The substances ingested were petroleum (33.33%), bleach (30.67%), medicines (13.33%), detergents (8%), rat poisons (6.67%), caustic soda (4%), sewing machine lubricants (2.67%) and alkaline battery (1.33%). Symptoms on admission were: respiratory distress (25.33%), impaired consciousness (14.67%) and endo-oral burns (12.33%). Children were asymptomatic in 47.37% of cases. Chest x-ray revealed petroleum pneumonia in 23.68% of cases and digestive endoscopy showed caustic esophagitis in 8% of cases. Oxygen therapy was necessary in 35.33% of cases, antibiotic therapy in 38.67% of cases and proton pump inhibitors in 28.26% of cases. The average length of hospitalization was 2.85 days. One death (1.32%) was reported after ingestion of sewing machine lubricant.
Conclusion: ADPs, although relatively low in frequency, remain a real public health problem with varied consequences. In most cases they are of minor severity and do not require any treatment. Petroleum is the most ingested substance followed by caustic products. Reducing their incidence requires improving the standard of living of households.
