Pfab R, Schmoll S, Dostal G, Stenzel J, Hapfelmeier A, Eyer F. Single dose activated charcoal for gut decontamination: Application by medical non-professionals -a prospective study on availability and practicability.
Toxicol Rep 2016;
4:49-54. [PMID:
28959624 PMCID:
PMC5615092 DOI:
10.1016/j.toxrep.2016.12.007]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Context
Oral activated charcoal (AC) for toxin absorption should be applied as soon as possible. Extra-hospital AC-application on site by medical laypersons with pre-emptive obtained AC may save time, but may be inferior to AC-application by medical professionals.
Objective
1) Availability and incidence of pre-emptive stockpiling of AC on site in the German region Bavaria 2) time saved by AC-stockpiling and application on site, 3) quality of AC-application defined by completeness of the applied AC-dose, time needed, incidence of side-effects in lay-care and in professional-care, considering confounding variables: AC-formulation/powder/tablets, recommended AC-dose, patient’s age.
Method
telephone-interviews in cases with AC-recommendation by a Poison Information Centre (PIC). Lay-care was suggested according to risk-assessment by PIC. Ingestion sites were classified as either apt for AC-stockpiling or not apt.
Results
1) availability: In Bavaria only 20%–22% of eligible cases had AC on-hand, 2) time-saving was at least 14 min. 3) Lay-care/professional-care or patient’s age had no significant influence on the completeness of the applied AC-dose, which was higher with AC as powder but negatively correlated with the recommended AC-dose. No significant difference was seen with time needed for application and incidence of side-effects.
Conclusion
pre-emptive AC-stocking should be encouraged.
Collapse