title: [Repeated poisoning episodes: Alarm sign of risk situations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevention is an essential aspect in paediatric poisonings, especially when recurrent episodes are detected. The aims of this article are to detect the recurrence rate for suspected poisoning in emergency consultations, as well as to identify the cases in which specific preventive measures are indicated, and to determine whether the creation of a specific item for recurrent episodes in the computerised medical records system facilitates its detection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted on patients less than 18 years of age treated in the emergency room due to suspected poisoning during 2013 and 2014. Patients were divided according to the presence or absence of previous episodes. From January 2014, a specific item is present in the computerised medical records of the poisoned patient, where the history of previous episodes is registered. The preventive measures used between both groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 731 consultations were recorded for suspected poisoning. A history of previous episodes was detected in 9% of cases. Medical injury reports and follow-up in outpatient clinics were more often performed in patients with recurrent episodes than in patients without them (28.8% vs 18.0%, P=.034, and 65.2% vs. 18.8%, P<.001, respectively). In 2013, the recurrence rate was 5.9% vs 12% in 2014 (P=.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recurrence rate observed is significant. Although preventive measures are more frequently indicated in these patients, their application is low. The creation of a specific item for recurrent episodes in a computerised medical records system facilitates their detection.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: elsaggonz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García González
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trenchs Sainz de la Maza
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrer Bosch
authors.affiliation: Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luaces Cubells
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Child; Emergency medical services; Intoxicación; Legal; Niño; Poisoning; Poisons; Prevención y control; Prevention and control; Servicio de urgencias pediátrico; Tóxico