Hospitalization for caffeine abuse is associated with abuse of other pharmaceutical products.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics and outcomes of patients seeking treatment for abuse of supplemental caffeine.


METHODS
This was a 3-year analysis conducted of all consecutive cases involving caffeine abuse in patients 10 years and older reported to a regional poison center. Excluded were suicide attempts, therapeutic errors, and cases involving only a coffee or tea product.


RESULTS
Two hundred fifty-four cases met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 20.5 years, 50% were women. Caffeine was in the form of a nondietary medication in 201 cases, a dietary supplement in 35 cases, and a caffeine-enhanced beverage in 35 cases. Caffeine was abused alone in 174 (68%), with alcohol in 7, illegal drugs in 6 cases, and with other pharmaceutical products in 81 (29%) cases. Thirty-four patients (13% of total) were hospitalized for medical complications from caffeine. Only concomitant abuse of other pharmaceutical products was associated with hospitalization (odds ratio, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.8-8.8; P = .0004).


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort, supplemental caffeine was abused primarily by young adults. Concomitant recreational abuse of other pharmaceuticals was associated with hospitalization and warrants further investigation.
McCarthy
Danielle M
DM
Department of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. d-mccarthy2@md.northwestern.edu
Mycyk
Mark B
MB
DesLauriers
Carol A
CA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine