INFLUENCE OF TIME UNTIL EMESIS ON THE EFFICACY OF DECONTAMINATION USING ACETAMINOPHEN AS A MARKER IN A PEDIATRIC POPULATION

Study objective: To determine the extent of drug removal by emesis at different times after the ingestion of a toxic substance. Design: Mult icenter retrospective chart review. Methods: Using the American Associ ation of Poison Control Centers' aggregate data base, children who had ingested acetaminophen and who were referred to a health care facilit y by one of 11 poison centers during a two-year period were identified . Charts of these patients were reviewed to determine the quantity ing ested per kilogram of body weight, method of decontamination used, the timing of decontamination, and the serum acetaminophen concentration obtained four hours after ingestion. Result: Charts of 455 patients me t all requirements for inclusion. When emesis occurred within one-half hour after ingestion, mean serum acetaminophen concentration drawn fo ur hours after ingestion was approximately half that in a control grou p that received no decontamination. Emesis had less impact when it was delayed further and had no demonstrable impact when it occurred more than 90 minutes after ingestion. Conclusion: Many factors must be cons idered when deciding if and by what method a given patient should rece ive decontamination. When delayed gastric emptying is not expected, em esis can at best decrease a toxic burden by half if it occurs early. M edical care givers must continue to scrutinize management practice to ensure that syrup of ipecac is given only in situations in which it is likely to make a difference in outcome and in which it is the most ef fective agent to achieve this goal.