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Abstract: Features of Lamotrigine poisoning are not clearly described in children. We report a child who presented with seizures and bizarre neurological symptoms, later attributed to lamotrigine poisoning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Background: Paracetamol is a component of a number of drugs taken in overdose (OD). The influence of alcohol use (acute or chronic) on the presentation and clinical course of paracetamol OD is contentious. This study explores the relationship between paracetamol OD, alcohol consumption and clinical outcomes at a regional Australian hospital. Aims: To determine the frequency, circumstances and outcomes of paracetamol OD presentations to a regional Australian general hospital over a 4-year period. Methods: Medical records of patients admitted to the Ballarat Health Services (BHS) as a result of paracetamol OD between January 2000 and December 2003 were reviewed. Patient demographics, amount of paracetamol ingested, other drug coingestions, alcohol history, previous medication OD, clinical course and outcomes were recorded. Results: Annual admissions resulting from paracetamol OD almost doubled during the 4 years studied. The risk of a repeat paracetamol OD was highest within 4 weeks of the initial OD. Alcohol, benzodiazepines and antidepressants were commonly coingested. The strongest predictor of severe hepatotoxicity was delayed or no N‐acetyl cysteine treatment in patients consuming greater than 10 g of paracetamol or with toxic serum paracetamol levels. A history of alcohol consumption did not appear to worsen outcomes. (Intern Med J 2005; 35: 655–660) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the urgent medical and social problems of modern society is the steady growth of auto-aggressive behavior and deliberate medication poisoning among adolescents and young adults. This investigation was held to optimize the provision of specialized medical care for acute deliberate self-poisoning in teenagers. We examined 498 patients admitted to the Toxicology Department of N. F. Filatov Children City Clinical Hospital No. 13 with a diagnosis of acute deliberate medication poisoning. The diagnosis was confirmed by chemical and toxicological urine test using thin-layer chromatography. From 2016 to 2018 the number of patients with deliberate medication poisoning increased by more than 2.5 times and amounted to 236 cases. Female patients were prevalent and accounted for up to 85% of cases. The leading position among medication self-poisoning is held by psychopharmacological drugs at 56%, in second place are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at 18.5%. The main causes of self-poisoning were social or family conflicts (47%), problems at school (35%), and Internet-related complaints (18%). The clinical manifestations of the disease in the acute period of chemical poisoning depended on the toxic agent and the dose taken. Psychological testing revealed a high level of neuroticism in 71% of adolescents, severe anxiety was observed in 57% of patients, and depression was diagnosed in 28% of cases. All patients were provided specialized medical care, including resuscitation, detoxification, and psychiatrist examination. Based on the accumulated clinical experience, an algorithm for managing adolescents with deliberate medication poisoning has been developed, which has reduced the number of repeated suicides by 1.8 times.