title: Epidemiological study of acute poisoning in children: a 5-year retrospective study in the Paediatric University Hospital in Białystok, Poland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poisoning among children and youths in the northeastern part of Poland accounted for 25% of the total number of patients admitted to the Hospital Emergency Department of the Paediatric University Hospital of Białystok. We hypothesise that the epidemiology of poisoned paediatric patients admitted is related to increase in 'designer drugs' (mainly amphetamine- and ecstasy-like psychostimulants, hallucinogens and synthetic cannabinoids ('spice') intake, which became popular 5 years ago in our country.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review of medical records of 489 patients admitted due to poisoning in the 5-year period (2006-2010). The data included: age, sex, place of residence, nature of the substance, causes of poisoning, former use of psychoactive stimulants, accompanying self-mutilation and injuries and length of hospitalisation. Categorical variables were expressed as percentages, and continuous variables as mean and SD. The data were collected in a Microsoft Excel database. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Programme for Social Sciences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 2176 hospitalised children, 489 were admitted because of poisoning. Out of these, 244 (49.9%) were hospitalised due to intoxication by alcohol. Only eight children used designer drugs. The mean age of all patients in our group was 12.86±5.04 years, of which 52.4% were male. Poisoning was intentional in 75.5%, and accidental in 24.5% of cases. Appearance of 'designer drugs' had no significant impact on the number and epidemiology of poisonings in our group.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Emergency Department (HED), Paediatric University Hospital (PUH), Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Urszula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pawłowicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wasilewska
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Olański
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanowicz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000633:toxicity; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000633:toxicity; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015198:Designer Drugs; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; C095705:alcohol - N, N'-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline oxidoreductase