Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients
Background. Activated charcoal is the most frequently and widely used oral decontaminating agent in emergency departments (EDs). However, there is some debate about its clinical benefits and risks. In Korea, activated charcoal with sorbitol was unavailable as of the mid-2015, and our hospital had be...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Emergency Medicine International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4642127 |
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| author | Sohyun Park Hui Jai Lee Jonghwan Shin Kyoung Min You Se Jong Lee Euigi Jung |
| author_facet | Sohyun Park Hui Jai Lee Jonghwan Shin Kyoung Min You Se Jong Lee Euigi Jung |
| author_sort | Sohyun Park |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Activated charcoal is the most frequently and widely used oral decontaminating agent in emergency departments (EDs). However, there is some debate about its clinical benefits and risks. In Korea, activated charcoal with sorbitol was unavailable as of the mid-2015, and our hospital had been unable to use it from September 2015. This study examined the differences of clinical features and outcomes of patients during the periods charcoal was and was not available. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who had visited an urban tertiary academic ED for oral drug poisoning between January 2013 and January 2017. Results. For the charcoal-available period, 413 patients were identified and for the charcoal-unavailable period, 221. Activated charcoal was used in the treatment of 141 patients (34%) during the available period. The mortality rates during the available and unavailable periods were 1.9 and 0.9%, respectively (p = 0.507). There was also no interperiod difference in the development of aspiration pneumonia (9.9 versus 9.5%, p = 0.864), the endotracheal intubation rate (8.4 versus 7.2%, p = 0.586), and vasopressor use (5.3 versus 5.0%, p = 0.85). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was higher in the unavailable period (5.8 versus 13.6%, p = 0.001). ICU days were lower in the unavailable period (10 [4.5-19] versus 4 [3-9], p = 0.01). Hospital admission (43.3 versus 29.9%, p = 0.001) was lower in the unavailable period. Conclusions. In this single center study, there appeared to be no difference in mortality, intubation rates, or vasopressor use between the charcoal-available and charcoal-unavailable periods. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b7ef71e17ff9424fb6ed60a492633101 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-2840 2090-2859 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emergency Medicine International |
| spelling | doaj-art-b7ef71e17ff9424fb6ed60a4926331012025-02-03T01:00:23ZengWileyEmergency Medicine International2090-28402090-28592018-01-01201810.1155/2018/46421274642127Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned PatientsSohyun Park0Hui Jai Lee1Jonghwan Shin2Kyoung Min You3Se Jong Lee4Euigi Jung5Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul 07061, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul 07061, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul 07061, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul 07061, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Sejong General Hospital, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do 14754, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Central Veterans Hospital, Seoul 05368, Republic of KoreaBackground. Activated charcoal is the most frequently and widely used oral decontaminating agent in emergency departments (EDs). However, there is some debate about its clinical benefits and risks. In Korea, activated charcoal with sorbitol was unavailable as of the mid-2015, and our hospital had been unable to use it from September 2015. This study examined the differences of clinical features and outcomes of patients during the periods charcoal was and was not available. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who had visited an urban tertiary academic ED for oral drug poisoning between January 2013 and January 2017. Results. For the charcoal-available period, 413 patients were identified and for the charcoal-unavailable period, 221. Activated charcoal was used in the treatment of 141 patients (34%) during the available period. The mortality rates during the available and unavailable periods were 1.9 and 0.9%, respectively (p = 0.507). There was also no interperiod difference in the development of aspiration pneumonia (9.9 versus 9.5%, p = 0.864), the endotracheal intubation rate (8.4 versus 7.2%, p = 0.586), and vasopressor use (5.3 versus 5.0%, p = 0.85). Intensive care unit (ICU) admission was higher in the unavailable period (5.8 versus 13.6%, p = 0.001). ICU days were lower in the unavailable period (10 [4.5-19] versus 4 [3-9], p = 0.01). Hospital admission (43.3 versus 29.9%, p = 0.001) was lower in the unavailable period. Conclusions. In this single center study, there appeared to be no difference in mortality, intubation rates, or vasopressor use between the charcoal-available and charcoal-unavailable periods.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4642127 |
| spellingShingle | Sohyun Park Hui Jai Lee Jonghwan Shin Kyoung Min You Se Jong Lee Euigi Jung Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients Emergency Medicine International |
| title | Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients |
| title_full | Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients |
| title_short | Clinical Effects of Activated Charcoal Unavailability on Treatment Outcomes for Oral Drug Poisoned Patients |
| title_sort | clinical effects of activated charcoal unavailability on treatment outcomes for oral drug poisoned patients |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/4642127 |
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