Acetaminophen poisonings hospitalized at the Pomeranian Center of Toxicology in 2010−2015

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BACKGROUND: Acetaminophen is a widely available analgesic and antipyretic medication. Although it is advertised as safe, it is responsible for more than 50% of drug-induced hepatotoxicity cases and the most common cause of acute liver failure in developed countries. Until 2000 the frequency of acetaminophen overdoses in Poland was relatively low, but a significant increase has been seen in recent years. The aim of the study was to perform a demographic analysis of the acetaminophen overdose cases hospitalized at the Pomeranian Center of Toxicology (PCT) in Gdańsk, Poland, in 2010-2015. MATERIAL AND METHODS: and McNemara tests. RESULTS: In the reference period, 7754 poisoned patients were hospitalized, including 4163 men and 3591 women. There were 667 cases of acetaminophen overdose (231 men and 436 women). There was a significant increase in the percentage of acetaminophen overdoses in 2010-2015 (6.5% and 10.8%, p < 0.01). In the group aged < 18 years, there were 217 cases of acetaminophen overdose (37 men and 180 women). The share or acetaminophen overdose cases in this group (17.2%) was significantly higher than among patients aged ≥ 18 years (6.9%, p < 0.01). The male to female ratio in the group aged ≥ 18 years was 0.75, and in the group aged < 18 years it was 0.21 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant increase in the number of acetaminophen overdose cases hospitalized at the Pomeranian Center of Toxicology in 2010-2015. The share of acetaminophen overdoses was significantly higher in the group aged < 18 years than in the adult group. In both age groups, acetaminophen overdose was more frequent in women. Med Pr. 2019;70(6):733-8.