ABSTRACT
Introducción: El uso de medicamentos para aliviar los síntomas del «resfriado común» en los niños es muy frecuente. A la falta de evidencia científica que avale su utilidad se suma la potencial toxicidad, habiéndose descrito intoxicaciones graves e incluso letales. El objetivo de este estudio es describir las características clínico-epidemiológicas de los pacientes atendidos en un servicio de urgencias pediátricas por sospecha de intoxicación no intencionada por anticatarrales. Material y métodos: Estudio analítico-observacional de los pacientes con edad inferior a 18 años atendidos en un servicio de urgencias pediátricas por sospecha de intoxicación no intencionada por un medicamento anticatarral, entre julio-2012 y junio-2020. Se clasificó la gravedad según el Poisoning Severity Score (PSS): PSS-0=sin toxicidad; PSS-1=toxicidad leve; PSS-2=moderada; PSS-3=grave; PSS-4=letal. Si la intoxicación se produjo en el transcurso de un tratamiento con el medicamento, se determinó si la edad del paciente estaba incluida en las indicaciones terapéuticas según ficha técnica. Resultados: Se recogieron 63 casos. Los medicamentos implicados fueron: anticongestivos y mucolíticos (31; 49,2%), antitusígenos (26; 41,2%), broncodilatadores orales (6; 9,5%). Se clasificaron según gravedad en: PSS-0=40 (63,5%), PSS-1=21 (33,3%), PSS-2=1 (1,6%) y PSS-3=1 (1,6%). En 29 pacientes (46%) existía antecedente de uso terapéutico; de estos, en 15 casos (51,7%) la edad del paciente era inferior a la recomendada en ficha técnica. En 14 pacientes (22,2%) la intoxicación se produjo por error en la dosis administrada por los cuidadores. Conclusión: Aunque la evidencia científica no recomienda medicamentos anticatarrales en niños, se siguen produciendo intoxicaciones no intencionadas por estos fármacos, en ocasiones moderadas o graves. (AU)
Introduction: The use of medications to relieve the symptoms of the common cold in children is very frequent. In addition to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its usefulness, there is evidence of potential toxicity, and serious and even fatal cases of intoxication have been described. The objective was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients treated in a paediatric emergency department for suspected unintentional intoxication by a cold medicine. Material and methods: Observational and analytical study of patients aged less than 18 years managed in a paediatric emergency department for suspected unintentional poisoning by a cold medicine between July 2012 and June 2020. We classified severity according to the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS): PSS-0=no toxicity; PSS-1=mild toxicity; PSS-2=moderate; PSS-3=severe; PSS-4=lethal. If the intoxication occurred while the patient was in active treatment with the drug, we determined whether the patient's age was in the applicable range established in the therapeutic indications provided in the summary of product characteristics. Results: The study included data for 63 cases. The drugs involved were decongestants and mucolytics (31; 49.2%), antitussives (26; 41.2%) and oral bronchodilators (6; 9.5%). The distribution by severity was 40 cases with PSS-0 (63.5%), 21 with PSS-1 (33.3%), 1 with PSS-2 (1.6%) and 1 with PSS-3 (1.6%). In 29 patients (46.0%) there was a history of therapeutic use; in 15 of these cases (51.7%) the age was lower than recommended in the summary of product characteristics. In 14 patients (22.2%) the intoxication was due to administration of the wrong dose by caregivers. Conclusion: Although scientific evidence does not support the use of cold medicines in children, unintentional intoxications by these drugs keep happening, in some cases causing moderate or severe symptoms. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Infant, Newborn , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Common Cold/drug therapy , Multi-Ingredient Cold, Flu, and Allergy Medications/toxicity , Multi-Ingredient Cold, Flu, and Allergy Medications/therapeutic use , Epidemiology, Descriptive , Antitussive Agents , Drug PrescriptionsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The use of medications to relieve the symptoms of the "common cold" in children is very frequent. In addition to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its usefulness, there is evidence of potential toxicity, and serious and even fatal cases of intoxication have been described. The objective was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients treated in a paediatric emergency department (PED) for suspected unintentional intoxication by a cold medicine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Observational and analytical study of patients aged less than 18 years managed in a PED for suspected unintentional poisoning by a cold medicine between July 2012 and June 2020. We classified severity according to the Poisoning Severity Score (PSS): PSS-0â¯=â¯no toxicity; PSS-1â¯=â¯mild toxicity; PSS-2â¯=â¯moderate; PSS-3â¯=â¯severe; PSS-4â¯=â¯lethal. If the intoxication occurred while the patient was in active treatment with the drug, we determined whether the patient's age was in the applicable range established in the therapeutic indications provided in the summary of product characteristics. RESULTS: The study included data for 63 cases. The drugs involved were decongestants and mucolytics (31; 49.2%), antitussives (26; 41.2%) and oral bronchodilators (6; 9.5%). The distribution by severity was 40 cases with PSS-0 (63.5%), 21 with PSS-1 (33.3%), 1 with PSS-2 (1.6%) and 1 with PSS-3 (1.6%). In 29 patients (46.0%) there was a history of therapeutic use; in 15 of these cases (51.7%) the age was lower than recommended in the summary of product characteristics. In 14 patients (22.2%) the intoxication was due to administration of the wrong dose by caregivers. CONCLUSION: Although scientific evidence does not support the use of cold medicines in children, unintentional intoxications by these drugs keep happening, in some cases causing moderate or severe symptoms.
Subject(s)
Antitussive Agents , Cough , Child , Humans , Cough/chemically induced , Pharmaceutical Preparations , Antitussive Agents/adverse effects , Expectorants/adverse effectsABSTRACT
La nafazolina es un fármaco utilizado como descongestivo, generalmente, en pacientes adultos. Su indicación en pediatría no es frecuente; su uso está aprobado a partir de los 12 años por los efectos tóxicos que posee. La intoxicación en niños genera un cuadro clínico potencialmente grave. Se caracteriza por la aparición inmediata de hipotonía, deterioro del sensorio, hipotermia y bradicardia con grado variable de compromiso clínico. Si bien es una intoxicación infrecuente, la anamnesis y el manejo inicial del paciente son la clave en su evolución. Se presenta a un niño de 4 años que, por un error terapéutico, recibió este fármaco y se destaca la instauración rápida y potencialmente grave del cuadro clínico.
Naphazoline is a drug commonly used as a decongestant in adult patients. Its indication in Pediatrics is not frequent, being approved its use from the age of 12 for the toxic effects it possesses. Intoxication in children generates a potentially serious clinical picture. It is characterized by the immediate appearance of hypotonia, deterioration of the sensory, hypothermia and bradycardia of variable degree of clinical compromise. Although it is an infrequent intoxication, the anamnesis and the initial management of the patient are the key in the evolution. We present a 4-year-old boy who, as a therapeutic error, receives this drug, emphasizing the rapid and potentially severe establishment of the clinical picture.
