title: Epidemiology of acute poisoning in children presenting to the poisoning treatment center at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, 2009-2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pediatric poisonings represent a major and preventable cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Epidemiologic information about poisoning among children in many lower- and middle-income countries is scarce. This study describes the epidemiology of acute poisonings in children presenting to Ain Shams University's Poisoning Treatment Center (ASU-PTC) in Cairo and determines the causative agents and characteristics of acute poisoning in several pediatric age groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study involved acutely poisoned patients, 0-18 years of age, who presented to the ASU-PTC between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. Data were extracted from electronic records maintained by the ASU-PTC. Collected data included demographics, substance of exposure, circumstances of the poisoning, patient disposition, and outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 5-year study period, 38 470 patients meeting our criteria were treated by the ASU-PTC; 19 987 (52%) were younger than 6 years of age; 4196 (11%) were 6-12 years; and 14 287 (37%) were >12 years. Unintentional poisoning accounted for 68.5% of the ingestions, though among adolescents 84.1% of ingestions were with self-harm intent. In all age groups, the most frequent causative drugs were non-opioid analgesics, antipyretics, and antirheumatics. The most common nonpharmaceutical agents were corrosives in preschool children and pesticides in adolescents. Most patients had no/minor effects (29 174 [75.8%]); hospitalization rates were highest among adolescents. There were 119 deaths (case fatality rate of 0.3), primarily from pesticide ingestion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poisoning in preschool children is mainly unintentional and commonly due to nonpharmaceutical agents whereas poisoning in adolescents is mainly intentional (self-harm). Pesticides, mainly organophosphorous compounds and carbamates, were the most frequent agents leading to morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine , Ain Shams University , Cairo , Egypt ;
authors.forename: Sonya M S
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Azab
authors.forename: Jon Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hirshon
authors.affiliation: b Department of Emergency Medicine , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA ;|c Charles McC. Mathias. Jr. National Study Center for Trauma and EMS , University of Maryland School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA ;
authors.forename: John Mark
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hirshon
authors.affiliation: d Department of Pharmacy Services , University of Maryland Medical Center , Baltimore , MD , USA ;
authors.forename: Bryan D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: e Department of Community , Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University , Cairo , Egypt ;|f Substance Abuse Research Center, Jazan University , Jazan , Saudi Arabia ;
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Setouhy
authors.affiliation: g Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science , Maryland Poison Center, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy , Baltimore , MD , USA ;
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: a Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine , Ain Shams University , Cairo , Egypt ;|h Poisoning Treatment Center, Ain Shams University Hospitals , Cairo , Egypt ;
authors.forename: Mahmoud Lotfy
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sakr
authors.affiliation: h Poisoning Treatment Center, Ain Shams University Hospitals , Cairo , Egypt ;
authors.forename: Hany
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tawfik
authors.affiliation: i Maryland Poison Center, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klein-Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000401:mortality; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D013997:Time Factors; D014495:Universities
keywords: Poisoning; children; egypt; epidemiology