Clinico-epidemiological Profile and Outcomes of Hydrocarbon Poisoning in Paediatric Patients at a Tertiary Care Center in West Bengal

Background-Hydrocarbon poisoning is a significant health concern in pediatric patients, particularly among those under five years of age.Given the common accessibility of various hydrocarbon products in domestic environments, this study aims to analyze the clinical profile, demographics, and outcomes of hydrocarbon poisoning in children admitted to a tertiary care center.Methods-An observational study was conducted at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital over 18 months.Children presenting with a history of hydrocarbon poisoning were included, resulting in a sample size of 200 participants.Relevant data on age, gender, socioeconomic status, type of hydrocarbon ingested, presenting symptoms, timing of presentation, treatment received, and clinical outcomes were recorded.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V.24 to summarize and evaluate the collected data.Results-The findings revealed that 81% of the cases involved children aged 5 years, with kerosene accounting for the majority of exposures (75.5%).The most prevalent symptoms included fever (60%) and vomiting (59%).A significant number of children (71%) presented to the hospital within 12 hours post-exposure, and the average duration of hospitalization was 7.57 days.The outcome was favorable, with a discharge rate of 99% and only 1% mortality reported.Conclusion-This study underscores that hydrocarbon poisoning predominantly affects young children due to accidental ingestion, with kerosene being the most common agent.Prompt medical intervention and effective management lead to high recovery rates, emphasizing the importance of preventive measures, including enhanced awareness and supervision among caregivers to mitigate the risk of poisoning.