Citation

Cagáňová B, Foltanova T, Puchon E, Ondriasova E, Plačková S, Fazekas T, Kuzelová M. Molecules 2017; 22(10): e22101726.

Affiliation

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava 81499, Slovak. kuzelova@fpharm.uniba.sk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/molecules22101726

PMID

29036912

Abstract

Caustic poisonings are still associated with many fatalities. Studies focusing on the elderly are rare. The purpose of the present study was to compare the clinical outcomes of caustic ingestion injury in elderly and non-elderly adults with regard to gender, intent of exposure, substance ingested, severity of mucosal injury, complications, and mortality. Caustic substance exposures reported to the National Toxicological Information Centre in Slovakia during 1998-2015 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: the non-elderly (<60 years) and elderly adults (≥60 years). The mortality rate in the elderly was significantly higher (elderly 23.0% vs. non-elderly 11.3%; p = 0.041). The risk of fatal outcome in the elderly was increased by acid ingestion (OR = 7.822; p = 0.002), particularly hydrochloric acid (OR = 5.714, p = 0.006). The incidence of respiratory complications was almost two times higher in the elderly was 31.1% vs. 17.4% for the non-elderly (p = 0.037). Respiratory complications significantly correlated with an increased mortality rate (p = 0.001) in the elderly whereas there was no association between GI complications and mortality in the elderly (p = 0.480). Elderly patients with respiratory complications had the poorest clinical outcomes. The highest risk of complications and fatalities was observed in patients after hydrochloric acid ingestion.

Language: en

Keywords

acids; caustic poisoning; corrosive substance; elderly; hydrochloric acid; mortality rate; respiratory complications