ABSTRACT
Objective: COVID-19 has changed the social life-style of young people. The aim of our study was to assess the difference in selected demographic and clinical characteristics of adolescents and young adults (14-24 years) treated at the Clinic of Toxicology during 2019 and 2020. Methods: The study was retrospective, observational and crosssectional, analyzing data from the Poison Information Center at the University Clinic of Toxicology during 2019 and 2020. The observed variables were age (divided into 2 groups with 19 years old as the cut off value), in/outpatient treatment, circumstances of poisoning (suicide, accidental, abuse and unknown), outcome (recovery, postponed) and agents (medicine, alcohol, psychoactive substances (PAS), chemicals and others). Results: Poisoning in young patients presented a percentage decrease of 20.4% in 2020 and without lethal outcome. There was no significant difference in gender distribution in the two study years (X2=1.456, df =1, P=0.228, RR =0.917), with an increased number of male patients of 9% in 2020 and their presentation of 57% in the total number of patients. Significant association was registered between the circumstances of poisoning and 2020 (X2= 5.607, df =1, P= 0.001) with increased accidental poisoning in patients younger than 19 years (X2=9.694, df =1, P=0.002). Suicidal poisonings in those above 19 years increased by 32.9% (X2= 3.610, df =1, P=0.057) from 2019 to 2020 and abuse decreased in both age groups, but was significantly reduced in those aged over 19 years (X2=7.921, df =1, P=0.008). There was an association of gender with suicide in patients under 19 years old (X2=4 5.483, df =1, P<0.001) with males at 3.51 higher risk for suicide (RR =3.52, 95%CI 2.283- 5.400) compared to the over 19 years group, where females were at increased risk for suicide (X2=26.923, df =1, P<0.001). Poisoning with medicines were decreased by 38.9% in the under 19 years group (P=0.837) in 2020. There was no significant association between distribution of type of poisoning and the two observed years (X2= 10.673 df= 6, P=0.099). Poisoning with medicines (P<0.001), inpatient treatment (P<0.001), and increasing age (P=0.006) were associated with increased likelihood of suicidal poisoning (χ2 (12)=583.057, P<0.001). Conclusion: Acute poisoning in patients aged 14-24 years during the pandemic in 2020 decreased with increased male patients and without registered lethal outcome. There were increased accidental poisonings in patients under 19 and suicidal poisoning in patients above 19 years. Males younger than 19 years were at higher risk of suicide compared to males aged over 19 years.