Pediatria pre prax 1/2010

Alcohol intoxication requiring hospital admission in children and adolescents: Retrospective analysis at the University Children’s Hospital in the Slovak Republic

Background. Few epidemiological studies have investigated the problem of children and adolescents having to be taken to hospital with acute alcohol intoxication. Methods. We reviewed the medical records of children and adolescents aged ± 18 years hospitalised with sole alcohol intoxication in the University Children‘s Hospital in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, during the years 1996 – 2005. Results. 537 patients (273 boys and 264 girls) were admitted to hospital between 1996 and 2005 with intentional acute alcohol intoxication (1,5 % of all admissions and 34,2 % of all intoxications). The average age of the patients with alcohol intoxication presented to hospital was 15,1 ± 1,7 and the youngest were 9-year-old children. The admission rate for alcohol intoxication proportionally increased every year (R2 = 0,935) (p < 0,001). The average blood alcohol level was 1,98 ± 0,57 g/l and it increased in 2001 – 2005 in relation to the previous 5 years (p < 0,001). The Mean Poisoning Severity Score was 1,53 ± 0,61 and had increased in line with blood alcohol level for the years 2001 – 2005 (p < 0,001). Conclusions. The results of this analysis draw a picture of the severity of underage alcohol consumption by young people in the Slovak Republic.

Keywords: ethanol, acute intoxication, children, adolescent, BAL.