Presentations Related to Acute Paracetamol Intoxication in an Urban Emergency Department in Switzerland
Table 1
Main characteristics of cases presenting due to paracetamol intoxication.
All (N = 181)
Intentional (n = 143)
Unintentional (n = 38)
Age in years
25.0 (16–85)
23.0 (16–85)
43.5 (16–79)
<0.001
Women
138 (76)
121 (85)
17 (45)
<0.001
Swiss citizens
147 (81)
119 (83)
28 (74)
0.18
Paracetamol g/24 h
10.8 (5–90)
12.9 (5–90)
8.2 (5–25)
<0.001
Intake as a single dose
120 (66)
115 (80)
5 (13)
<0.001
<24 h between ingestion and presentation
131(72)
120 (84)
11 (29)
<0.001
Intake of paracetamol only
99 (55)
71 (50)
28 (74)
0.008
Psychiatric comorbidities
142 (78)
133 (93)
9 (24)
<0.001
DILI
8 (4)
7 (5)
1 (3)
0.54
ALF
15 (8)
6 (4)
9 (24)
<0.001
Death
2 (1)
1 (<1)
1 (3)
0.30
Treatment as outpatients
84 (46)
75 (52)
9 (24)
0.002
Time of hospitalisation in days£
2.0 (1–21)
2.0 (1–21)
2.0 (1–15)
0.001
£Time of hospitalisation not known in ten cases with admission to another hospital. Values are expressed as median (range) or n (%); bold numbers indicate significant differences () between the intentional and unintentional groups.
