title: Initial symptoms as predictors of esophageal injury in alkaline corrosive ingestions.
abstract: The predictive value of initial clinical evaluation in the management of alkaline corrosive ingestion remains unclear. This multicenter study was designed to determine if specific clinical signs and symptoms following ingestion of alkaline corrosives could predict significant esophageal injury. Alkaline corrosives were defined by a pH greater than or equal to 12. Signs and symptoms previously suggested as predictive of significant esophageal injury were documented on a standardized data form. Esophagoscopy reports were reviewed blinded to initial symptoms. Three hundred thirty-six alkaline-corrosive ingestions were analyzed. The mean number of symptoms reported in patients who did not have esophagoscopy was 1.2, in patients who had esophagoscopy was 3.0, and in patients that had visualized second or third degree esophageal burns was 4.8. Of 88 patients who had esophagoscopy, 63 (72%) had both the esophagoscopy report and initial symptom assessment available. Esophagoscopy was positive, defined as second or third degree esophageal burns, in 18 of 63 cases (29%). All patients with significant burns were symptomatic. No single or group of initially reported signs and symptoms could identify all patients with potentially serious esophageal burns.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Poison Center, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Khin-Maung-Gyi
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klein-Schwartz
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Oderda
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Litovitz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McElwee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spiller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krenzelok
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002424:Caustics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000293:injuries; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012798:Sialorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D002424:Caustics