| Popis: |
Despite a reduction in hospitalizations due to acute alcohol intoxication in minors, alcohol consumption among children and adolescents still presents an alarming social and clinical phenomenon. This is amplified by presumably more severe clinical symptoms of the alcohol intoxication in children and adolescents than in adults. 287 cases of acute alcohol intoxication in children and adolescents admitted to the Children’s Hospital of the University Hospital Frankfurt between January 2002 and December 2015 were analyzed. Age was classified into groups (16,16 and14 years) according to German legal drinking age (Jugendschutzgesetz). Most of the patients (82/126) with moderate or severe impaired consciousness were younger than 16 years old, despite similar blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Additional, preclinical contact with an emergency physician occurred more often in younger patients (14 years: 27.3%;16 years: 13.5% and16 years: 5.8%). 7.3% of overall patients required critical care, two thirds of them were younger than 16 years. The percentage of children under 14 years admitted to the PICU was even higher (13.6%). Machine ventilation was necessary in 5 cases, 4 of them were patients younger than 16 years old, 2 under 14 years. Minors and especially children under the age of 14 present a specific risk group within the patients with acute alcohol intoxications due to more severe symptoms and the necessity for more intensive medical care. The consistent implementation of the legal drinking age (Jugendschutzgesetz), as well as the development and continuation of prevention programs, such as the “HaLT-Programm” in Germany, are therefore the most important measures in the future. Despite a reduction in hospitalizations due to acute alcohol intoxication in minors, alcohol consumption among children and adolescents still presents an alarming social and clinical phenomenon. This is amplified by presumably more severe clinical symptoms of the alcohol intoxication in children and adolescents than in adults. 287 cases of acute alcohol intoxication in children and adolescents admitted to the Children’s Hospital of the University Hospital Frankfurt between January 2002 and December 2015 were analyzed. Age was classified into groups (16,16 and14 years) according to German legal drinking age (Jugendschutzgesetz). Most of the patients (82/126) with moderate or severe impaired consciousness were younger than 16 years old, despite similar blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Additional, preclinical contact with an emergency physician occurred more often in younger patients (14 years: 27.3%;16 years: 13.5% and16 years: 5.8%). 7.3% of overall patients required critical care, two thirds of them were younger than 16 years. The percentage of children under 14 years admitted to the PICU was even higher (13.6%). Machine ventilation was necessary in 5 cases, 4 of them were patients younger than 16 years old, 2 under 14 years. Minors and especially children under the age of 14 present a specific risk group within the patients with acute alcohol intoxications due to more severe symptoms and the necessity for more intensive medical care. The consistent implementation of the legal drinking age (Jugendschutzgesetz), as well as the development and continuation of prevention programs, such as the “HaLT-Programm” in Germany, are therefore the most important measures in the future. |
