{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,17]],"date-time":"2026-06-17T17:17:00Z","timestamp":1781716620876,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,29]],"date-time":"2025-05-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1748476800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Alcohol and drugs are the most common causes of acute intoxications in children. The aim of our study was to determine changes in hospitalizations for acute intoxications, especially acute alcohol intoxications (AAIs), among children aged 0\u201318 at the Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Split from 2016 to 2021 and to compare them to results of the previous studies conducted in the same department. Methods: We collected data from hospital medical records from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2021. According to the cause of intoxication, children were divided into two groups, those with AAIs and those with non-alcohol intoxications (non-AAIs), and four age groups, 0\u20135, 6\u20139, 10\u201313, and 14\u201318 years. We used SPSS 25 for statistical analyses with a p value &lt; 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: There were 218 children hospitalized for acute intoxications at the Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Split, 71 for AAIs and 147 due to intoxications with other substances. Medicaments were the most common cause of acute intoxications (41.29%), followed by alcohol (32.57%). Among children hospitalized for drugs intoxications, there were 18.89% suicide attempts, and 88.23% of them were girls. Non-AAIs were most common among 0\u20135- and 14\u201318-year-olds. AAIs were most common among boys who were 14\u201318 years old. The average blood alcohol concentration was 2.15\u2030, and 8.45% children tested positive for drugs. A significant decrease in AAIs among all hospitalizations was detected in the observed period, especially during COVID-19, predicting a further annual decrease of 21.26%. Conclusions: Although hospitalizations for AAIs among children are decreasing, increasing intoxications with non-medical drugs and medicaments, especially those intentional as suicidal attempts, indicate that intensive work on the mental health of young people and children is necessary.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children12060701","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,29]],"date-time":"2025-05-29T07:46:26Z","timestamp":1748504786000},"page":"701","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["New Trends in Pediatric Hospitalizations for Acute Intoxications: A Single-Center Long-Term Retrospective Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0250-1904","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivona","family":"Vrki\u0107 Boban","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Split, Spin\u010di\u0107eva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia"},{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marijan","family":"Saraga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, University of Split, \u0160oltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Vrhovac, B., Jak\u0161i\u0107, B., Reiner, \u017d., and Vuceli\u0107, B. (2008). Acute poisonings. Interna Medicina, Naklada Ljevak. [4th ed.]. (In Croatian)."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"147","article-title":"Pattern of acute poisonings in childhood in Ankara: What has changed in twenty years?","volume":"46","author":"Andiran","year":"2004","journal-title":"Turk. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.3325\/cmj.2009.50.151","article-title":"Alcohol intoxication in pediatric age: Ten-year retrospective study","volume":"50","author":"Bitunjac","year":"2009","journal-title":"Croat. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"009446","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-009446","article-title":"Examination of the community-specific prevalence of and factors associated with substance use and misuse among rural and urban adolescents: A cross-sectional analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina","volume":"5","author":"Zenic","year":"2015","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.5604\/12321966.1219192","article-title":"Intentional poisonings in urban and rural children\u2014A 6-year retrospective single centre study","volume":"23","author":"Krawiec","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ann. Agric. Environ. Med."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"59","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pedneo.2018.04.001","article-title":"Clinical spectrum of acute poisoning in children admitted to the pediatric emergency department","volume":"60","author":"Lee","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pediatr. Neonatol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-444-62619-6.00007-0","article-title":"Alcohol: Intoxication and poisoning\u2014Diagnosis and treatment","volume":"125","author":"Jung","year":"2014","journal-title":"Handb. Clin. Neurol."},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Vrhovac, B., Jak\u0161i\u0107, B., Reiner, \u017d., and Vuceli\u0107, B. (2008). Mental and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol. Interna Medicina, Naklada Ljevak. [4th ed.]. (In Croatian)."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"390","DOI":"10.1093\/alcalc\/agt036","article-title":"Acute alcohol intoxication characteristics in children","volume":"48","author":"Tillmann","year":"2013","journal-title":"Alcohol Alcohol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"868","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01954735","article-title":"Acute alcohol intoxication among children and adolescents","volume":"153","year":"1994","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1651-2227.1990.tb11564.x","article-title":"Acute alcohol intoxications in children treated in hospital","volume":"79","author":"Vilska","year":"1990","journal-title":"Acta Paediatr. Scand."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1177\/0009922810388509","article-title":"Alcohol intoxication among Dutch adolescents: Acute medical complications in the years 2000\u20132010","volume":"50","author":"Bouthoorn","year":"2011","journal-title":"Clin. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1016\/j.emc.2022.01.012","article-title":"Toxic Alcohol Poisoning","volume":"40","author":"Ross","year":"2022","journal-title":"Emerg. Med. Clin. N. Am."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/j.alcohol.2015.12.001","article-title":"Does acute alcohol intoxication cause transaminase elevations in children and adolescents?","volume":"51","author":"Binder","year":"2016","journal-title":"Alcohol"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1007\/s11920-016-0689-y","article-title":"Alcohol and drug use and the developing brain","volume":"18","author":"Squeglia","year":"2016","journal-title":"Curr. Psychiatry Rep."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lees, B., Meredith, L.R., Kirkland, A.E., Bryant, B.E., and Squeglia, L.M. (2020). Effect of alcohol use on the adolescent brain and behavior. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav., 192.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pbb.2020.172906"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1254","DOI":"10.5336\/medsci.2011-25942","article-title":"An emergency service diagnosis in childhood with an increasing trend within time: Alcohol poisoning","volume":"32","author":"Guzel","year":"2012","journal-title":"Turkiye Klinikleri J. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"410","article-title":"Factors influencing acute alcohol poisoning in adolescents in Bulgaria","volume":"68","author":"Loukova","year":"2011","journal-title":"Prz. Lek."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.3109\/10903127.2012.695437","article-title":"Ten year trends in intoxications and requests for emergency ambulance service","volume":"16","author":"Holzer","year":"2012","journal-title":"Prehosp. Emerg. Care"},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"A5065","article-title":"Increasing number of teenagers with alcohol intoxication admitted to hospital: Result of successful treatment approach rather than an increasing problem","volume":"156","author":"Lemmens","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ned. Tijdschr. Geneeskd."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"212","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2010.06.001","article-title":"Adolescent alcohol intoxication in the Dutch hospital departments of pediatrics: A 2-year comparison study","volume":"48","author":"Bouthoorn","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lovrecic, M., Lovrecic, B., Rok Simon, M., Korosec, A., Della Rocca, F., Maremmani, A.G.I., and Maremmani, I. (2020). Trends of hospitalization for acute alcohol intoxication in Slovenian children and adolescents with and without dual disorder. Implications for a correct intervention. J. Clin. Med., 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm9072122"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"400","DOI":"10.1136\/injuryprev-2015-041901","article-title":"Changes in poisonings among adolescents in the UK between 1992 and 2012: A populationbased cohort study","volume":"22","author":"Tyrrell","year":"2016","journal-title":"Inj. Prev."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.12740\/PP\/67601","article-title":"Hospitalizations due to alcohol intoxication among children and adolescents\u2014Data from one clinical hospital in Poland","volume":"52","author":"Gawlik","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychiatr. Pol."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Sabayev, A.V., and Goleva, O.P. (2013). The hospitalized morbidity of children population of Omsk as a result of acute intoxication of chemical etiology in 2003\u20132012. Probl. Sotsial\u2019noi Gig. Zdr. Istor. Meditsiny, 13\u201314. Available online: https:\/\/europepmc.org\/article\/med\/24649605."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5123","DOI":"10.12659\/MSM.908841","article-title":"Changing Pattern of Acute Alcohol Intoxications in Children","volume":"24","author":"Vrca","year":"2018","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Monit."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"564","DOI":"10.13109\/prkk.2024.73.7.564","article-title":"Originalarbeiten\/Original Articles. Pr\u00e4vention akuter Alkohol intoxikationen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Trinkumst\u00e4nde und Empfehlungen aus Sicht betroffener Eltern und Jugendlicher\/Prevention of Acute Alcohol Intoxication in Children and Adolescents: Drinking Circumstances and Recommendations from the Perspective of Affected Parents and Adolescents","volume":"73","author":"Diestelkamp","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prax. Kinderpsychol. Kinderpsychiatr."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Croatian Bureau of Statistics (2024, March 10). Available online: https:\/\/dzs.gov.hr\/."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1853","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.14680","article-title":"COVID-19 pandemic and methanol poisoning outbreak in Iranian children and adolescents: A data linkage study","volume":"45","author":"Mahdavi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"905","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2021.07.038","article-title":"Acute alcohol intoxication in Dutch adolescents before, during, and after the first COVID-19 lockdown","volume":"69","author":"Pigeaud","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109062","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugalcdep.2021.109062","article-title":"Effects of the 2020 health crisis on acute alcohol intoxication: A nationwide retrospective observational study","volume":"228","author":"Karila","year":"2021","journal-title":"Drug Alcohol Depend."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"e935567","article-title":"A Remote Questionnaire-Based Study to Compare Alcohol Use in 1030 Final-Year High School Students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia Before and During the National Lockdown Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic","volume":"28","author":"Saraga","year":"2022","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Monit."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jeong, W. (2023). Comparison of alcohol consumption and tobacco use among Korean adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS ONE, 18.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0283462"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e38453","DOI":"10.1097\/MD.0000000000038453","article-title":"Association of the COVID-19 lockdown with health risk behaviors in South Korean adolescents","volume":"103","author":"Han","year":"2024","journal-title":"Medicine"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2271","DOI":"10.1007\/s00431-021-04015-0","article-title":"The impact of lockdown on pediatric ED visits and hospital admissions during the COVID19 pandemic: A multicenter analysis and review of the literature","volume":"180","author":"Kruizinga","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Breinig, S., Mortamet, G., Brossier, D., Amadieu, R., Claudet, I., Javouhey, E., Angoulvant, F., and Arnaud, C. (2021). Impact of the French national lockdown on admissions to 14 pediatric intensive care units during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic-a retrospective multicenter study. Front. Pediatr., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2021.764583"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"727","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2020.08.017","article-title":"Rebound of severe alcoholic intoxications in adolescents and young adults after COVID-19 lockdown","volume":"67","author":"Grigoletto","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Badicu, G., Zamani Sani, S.H., and Fathirezaie, Z. (2020). Predicting tobacco and alcohol consumption based on physical activity level and demographic characteristics in Romanian students. Children, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/children7070071"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pedn.2019.07.012","article-title":"Personal and family factors associated with high-risk behaviours among adolescents in Malaysia","volume":"48","author":"Cheah","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Pediatr. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e833","DOI":"10.1097\/CCM.0000000000005032","article-title":"Pediatric Acute Alcohol Intoxication Admitted to the ICU:A Review of 102 Cases in France","volume":"49","author":"Ruetsch","year":"2021","journal-title":"Crit. Care Med."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"623","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina44080081","article-title":"Trends in alcohol consumption among Lithuanian school-aged children in 1994\u20132006 and new challenges","volume":"44","author":"Zaborskis","year":"2008","journal-title":"Medicina"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vallersnes, O.M., Jacobsen, D., Ekeberg, \u00d8., and Brekke, M. (2015). Patients presenting with acute poisoning to an outpatient emergency clinic: A one-year observational study in Oslo, Norway. BMC Emerg. Med., 15.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12873-015-0045-2"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"712","DOI":"10.1136\/emermed-2012-201376","article-title":"Epidemiological study of acute poisoning in children: A 5-year retrospective study in the Paediatric University Hospital in Bialystok, Poland","volume":"30","author":"Pawlowicz","year":"2013","journal-title":"Emerg. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"de Veld, L., Wolberink, I.M., van Hoof, J.J., and van der Lely, N. (2021). The role of tobacco smoking and illicit drug use in adolescent acute alcohol intoxication. BMC Pediatr., 21.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12887-021-02710-3"},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Soave, P.M., Curatola, A., Ferretti, S., Raitano, V., Conti, G., Gatto, A., and Chiaretti, A. (2022). Acute poisoning in children admitted to pediatric emergency department: A five-years retrospective analysis. Acta Biomed., 93."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.23736\/S0026-4946.16.04254-7","article-title":"Acute intoxications among Turkish children","volume":"70","author":"Kizilyildiz","year":"2018","journal-title":"Minerva Pediatr."},{"key":"ref_47","first-page":"S31","article-title":"Acute medication poisoning causing hospital admissions in childhood: A 3-year prospective observational single-center study","volume":"68","author":"Poruba","year":"2019","journal-title":"Physiol. Res."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.36290\/csf.2024.027","article-title":"Acute intoxications with medications in children and the role of pharmacist in the National toxicological information center","volume":"73","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ceska Slov. Farm."},{"key":"ref_49","first-page":"533","article-title":"Ostrezatrucia u dzieci w latach 2010\u20132012\u2014Badaniejednoo\u015brodkowe w Poznaniu [Acute poisonings in children in the years 2010\u20132012\u2014Single-centre study in Pozna\u0144]","volume":"70","author":"Gontko","year":"2013","journal-title":"Prz. Lek."},{"key":"ref_50","first-page":"47","article-title":"Suicidal ideation and behaviors among high school students\u2014Youth risk behavior survey, United States, 2019","volume":"69","author":"Demissie","year":"2019","journal-title":"MMWR Suppl."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fabio, R.A., and Suriano, R. (2021). The Influence of Media Exposure on Anxiety and Working Memory during Lockdown Period in Italy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18179279"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Longobardi, C., Morese, R., and Fabris, M.A. (2020). COVID-19 Emergency: Social Distancing and Social Exclusion as Risks for Suicide Ideation and Attempts in Adolescents. Front. Psychol., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.551113"},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vrki\u0107 Boban, I., and Saraga, M. (2025). Availability of alcohol to children and consequences of its consumption among high school students in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. J. Public Health, 1\u20138.","DOI":"10.1007\/s10389-025-02474-5"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Galkus, L., Lange, S., Liutkut\u0117-Gumarov, V., Mi\u0161\u010dikien\u0117, L., Petkevi\u010dien\u0117, J., Rehm, J., \u0160telem\u0117kas, M., Tran, A., and Vaitkevi\u010di\u016bt\u0117, J. (2022). The Comprehensive Alcohol Advertising Ban in Lithuania: A Case Study of Social Media. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191912398"},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dodd, S., Widnall, E., Russell, A.E., Curtin, E.L., Simmonds, R., Limmer, M., and Kidger, J. (2022). School-based peer education interventions to improve health: A global systematic review of effectiveness. BMC Public Health, 22.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-022-14688-3"}],"container-title":["Children"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/12\/6\/701\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:43:03Z","timestamp":1760031783000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9067\/12\/6\/701"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,29]]},"references-count":55,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6]]}},"alternative-id":["children12060701"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/children12060701","relation":{},"ISSN":["2227-9067"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2227-9067","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,29]]}}}