Etiology, Clinical Features, and Outcomes of Acute Poisoning Among Children at a Provincial Pediatric Hospital in Vietnam: Retrospective Descriptive Study

Abstract Background Acute poisoning in children remains a significant cause of emergency admission and is largely preventable. Its epidemiological profile varies across settings according to age, household environment, and locally available toxic agents. Understanding the patterns, management, and outcomes of pediatric poisoning is important for improving prevention and clinical care. Objective This study aimed to characterize the demographic and exposure patterns, treatment practices, and in-hospital outcomes of acute poisoning among children treated at a provincial pediatric hospital in Vietnam. Methods We conducted a hospital-based retrospective descriptive study of children aged <16 years treated for acute poisoning at Thai Binh Pediatric Hospital, Vietnam, from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025. Hospital records were screened using prespecified eligibility criteria. Data included age, sex, time from poisoning to hospital presentation, exposure location and intent, route and agent of poisoning, recorded treatment measures, and in-hospital outcomes. Analyses were descriptive, with variable-specific denominators used when data were missing. Results Of the 326 records identified, 276 were included in the final analysis. Children aged 1 to 5 years accounted for the largest proportion (n=151, 54.7%), and 53.6% (n=148) were male. Time from poisoning to hospital presentation was not reported for 12.3% (n=34) of the children; 67.4% (n=186) presented to the hospital within 6 hours after poisoning. Poisoning occurred mainly at home (n=266, 96.4%) and was predominantly unintentional (n=265, 96%). All 11 intentional poisonings occurred in children aged >10 years. Ingestion was the main route of exposure (n=220, 79.7% documented exposure routes). Chemical substances, medications, and food were prominent agent groups among the classifiable agents reported in the dataset. Intravenous fluids were recorded in 80.4% (n=222) of children, gastric lavage in 26.1% (n=72), and single-dose activated charcoal in 24.3% (n=67). Overall, 97.5% (n=269) of children were discharged from the study hospital and 2.5% (n=7) were transferred to a national hospital. Final outcomes after transfer were unavailable. No deaths occurred at the study hospital. Conclusions Pediatric acute poisoning treated at this provincial hospital mainly affected young children and most often resulted from unintentional exposure in the home. The study identifies locally relevant exposure patterns that can guide household prevention and age-specific risk reduction. Most children were discharged from the study hospital, but final outcomes were unavailable for transferred patients; therefore, the findings should not be interpreted as demonstrating uniformly favorable outcomes or the appropriateness of specific treatments.