Glycerol intoxication syndrome in young children, following the consumption of slush ice drinks
Consumption of slush ice drinks containing glycerol may cause a clinical syndrome of glycerol intoxication in young children, characterised by decreased consciousness, hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis, pseudohypertriglyceridaemia and hypokalaemia. This mimics inherited disorders of gluconeogenesis and glycerol metabolism. Clinicians and parents should be alert to the phenomenon, and public health bodies should ensure clear messaging regarding the fact that younger children, especially those under 8 years of age, should avoid slush ice drinks containing glycerol.
Authors
- Bernd Schwahn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0961-2508)
- Abigail Collins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8073-1943)
- Adam Gerrard
- Christopher Stockdale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6025-0434)
- Claire Hart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6863-2341)
- Alison Cozens
- Ellen Crushell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3768-8569)
- Patricia Fitzsimons (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0706-2952)
- Mark Anderson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6144-9093)
- Romanie Hannah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3940-0066)
- Ann Bowron (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8894-7992)
- Gemma Watts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3753-6664)
- Sanjeev Deshpande (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9399-1074)
- Aravindan Veiraiah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-2886)
- Shona Brothwell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7365-7940)
- Andrew A. M. Morris
- Srividya Sreekantam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3721-3838)
- Helen Mundy
- S.H. Yap
- F. L. Ritchie
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
- NHS Lothian (GB)
- Royal Hospital for Children (GB)
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin (IE)
- Health Service Executive (IE)
- Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust (GB)
- Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Evelina London Children's Healthcare (GB)
- Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (GB)
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
- Royal Manchester Children's Hospital (GB)
- Sheffield Children's Hospital (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Archives of Disease in Childhood
- Published
- 2025-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2024-328109
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 9.23