Evaluation of the children with acute acetaminophen overdose and intravenous N-acetylcysteine treatment

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the demographic and clinical features associated with acetaminophen overdose and to identify the clinical use of IV (intravenous) N- Acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment in children.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted in Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital between August 2016 and August 2017. A total of 59 patients with overdose acetaminophen ingestion were included in this study. The toxic dose for acute acetaminophen intake was defined as greater than 150 mg/kg. Rumack-Matthew nomogram was used to evaluate the risk of acute intoxication and to determine the decision of using antidote.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 8.5±6.4 y and 34 of them (58%) were female. The mean time from ingestion to admission was 4.3±4.7 h. The mean ingested acetaminophen dose was 142.1±80 mg/kg. Twenty four patients (41%) received NAC and there were significant differences in terms of acetaminophen dose, creatinine and INR between antidote and decontamination therapy groups at admission time (p= 0.00, p= 0.03, p= 0.02, respectively). The complication due to antidote therapy was observed in only 1 patient.

Conclusions: This study confirms that the side effects due to IV NAC therapy are uncommon and it is generally well tolerated in children. 

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.343.14937

How to cite this:Yesil Y, Ozdemir AA. Evaluation of the children with acute acetaminophen overdose and intravenous N-acetylcysteine treatment. Pak J Med Sci. 2018;34(3):590-594.   doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.343.14937

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