Background
and Objective: Increased
methadone prescription in narcotics withdrawal protocols in recent
years resulted in a high number of accidental methadone poisoning, especially
in children. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of methadone
poisoning and its probable causes in children aged less than 15 years.
Materials and Methods: In
this cross-sectional study, 97 children with methadone poisoning admitted to
emergency medical services of Ali-Ebne-Abitaleb hospital in Rafsanjan were investigated.
Data were collected through medical examination and interview and analyzed by
descriptive and analytical statistical methods including correlation
coefficient, Chi-Square and comparison of means tests.
Results: Out of total 97 poisoned children, 57 (58.8%) and 40 (41.2%)
cases were male and female, respectively. 7 (7.2%) of these children, 67
(69.1%) children's fathers and 16 (16.5%) of the children's mothers were opiate-dependent.
Seventy-one (73%) cases had been poisoned accidentally. Average time interval
to referring to hospital was 3.14±2.24 hours and average
used naloxone was 16.3±12.7 ampoules. The maximum
amount of referring was observed in autumn season and afternoon shifts. Twenty
(20.6%) and 53 (54.6%) poisoned children had severe and moderate risk signs,
respectively, and 24 (24.7%) cases were asymptomatic. The
frequency and severity of methadone poisoning had a statistically significant
association (p<0.05) with variables including child addiction,
child's birth rank, mother addiction, mother age, mother educational level, and
family economic status.
Conclusion: Season, mother
conditions, children addiction and birth rank, family economic status and
habitat are the most important factors in the incidence of methadone poisoning.
Key words: Poisoning, Methadone,
Children, frequency
Funding: This project was financially supported by Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
Conflict
of interest: Authors have no conflict of
interest to declare
Ethical
approval: the research proposal was reviewed and approved in institutional ethics
committee and research council of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences
How to cite this article: Masoudpour N, Zare-Bidaki M, Sedighi E,
Bakhtar M. Frequency and Related Factors of Methadone
Poisoning in Children Aged under 15 Years Attending Children Emergency Center
of Rafsanjan Ali-Ebne-Abitaleb Hospital In 2013. J RafsanjanUniv
Med Sci 2015 14(7): 561-74.
[Farsi]
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