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Suicide attempts by overdose of paracetamol and ibuprofen in adolescents and young adults in Switzerland before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Clinical Toxicology ; 60(SUPPL 1):98, 2022.
Article in English | EMBASE | ID: covidwho-1915437
ABSTRACT

Objective:

Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are popular over the counter analgesics and frequently involved in suicidal overdose in adolescents. The aim of the study is to determine trends of paracetamol and ibuprofen overdose in adolescents and young adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

A retrospective descriptive study of suicide attempts by poisoning in adolescents and young adults (10-25 years) reported to the Swiss National Poison Center before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (1 January 2016 to 30 June 2021). Intervention date was defined as end of Q1 2020 (lockdown in Switzerland started on 16 March 2020). Preintervention period was determined as Q1 2016-Q1 2020, postintervention period as Q2 2020-Q2 2021. Data collected included age, sex, time of call (month, year), and substances. Trends for cases involving paracetamol and/or ibuprofen were analysed per quarter (Q), and by patient age.

Results:

Overall 7697 cases met inclusion criteria (females n=5883, males n=1808, unknown n=6). Paracetamol was involved in 1864 cases (24.2%), ibuprofen in 1021 cases (13.3%), including 394 cases combining both substances. We recognized a higher proportion of exposures in 13 to 17-year-olds (paracetamol 28.4%, ibuprofen 16.2%), with a maximum proportion in 15- year-olds (paracetamol 30.7%, ibuprofen 18.3%). Comparing the average number of cases per quarter of the preintervention period to the postintervention period revealed an increase of 1.2 with an overproportional rise in paracetamol exposures of 1.4. Suicide attempts by paracetamol were even more common in the 13 to 17-year-olds (rate 1.7) (Table 1). Due to the small numbers in 10 to 12-year-olds trends are not determined.

Conclusion:

Paracetamol is involved in a quarter of suicide attempts in adolescents and young adults, even up to a third in the 15-year-olds, whereas ibuprofen plays a less prominent role. The observed increase in paracetamol overdoses in the 13 to 17- year-olds during the postintervention period requires close observation.
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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Clinical Toxicology Year: 2022 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: Databases of international organizations Database: EMBASE Type of study: Experimental Studies Language: English Journal: Clinical Toxicology Year: 2022 Document Type: Article