Analysis of an 8-hour acetylcysteine infusion protocol for repeated supratherapeutic ingestion (RSTI) of paracetamol

OBJECTIVES: In Australia, the treatment guideline for patients with repeated supratherapeutic ingestion (RSTI) of paracetamol recommends an abbreviated acetylcysteine regimen if the paracetamol concentration is low (<10 mg/L) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is normal or static after 8 hours of infusion. There are currently no studies of this recommendation.

METHOD: A retrospective review of paracetamol overdose presentations from October 2009 to August 2016 in two hospital toxicology networks was performed. All cases of RSTI treated with acetylcysteine were extracted.

RESULTS: Of the 2249 paracetamol overdose presentations, 91 cases of RSTI were treated with acetylcysteine. Median time to initial blood tests was 6 hours post-last paracetamol dose (IQR 4-6). Sixty-three (69%) presentations had an initial detectable paracetamol concentration, median 30 mg/L (IQR 18-60). Median ALT on presentation was 48 IU/L (IQR 18-109). After 8 hours of acetylcysteine infusion, median ALT was 34 IU/L (IQR 16-71) in those receiving abbreviated treatment and 74 IU/L (IQR 40-231) in those continuing acetylcysteine. Thirty-nine presentations (43%) had an abbreviated regimen. Nine (10%) patients had an initial ALT ≥50 IU/L and subsequently developed hepatotoxicity (ALT >1000 IU/L). No patients with an initial ALT <50 IU/L developed hepatotoxicity. Median duration of acetylcysteine infusion for those receiving a non-abbreviated regimen was 20 hours (IQR 20-25) vs. 10.4 hours (IQR 4.8-12.0) who received an abbreviated regimen. There were no re-presentations with hepatotoxicity.

CONCLUSIONS: An 8-hour acetylcysteine infusion regimen for treatment of paracetamol RSTI may be safe and is likely to reduce length of stay for patients at low risk of hepatotoxicity. Larger prospective studies are needed to examine the efficacy of this abbreviated acetylcysteine protocol.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2018

Erschienen:

2018

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:56

Enthalten in:

Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.) - 56(2018), 3 vom: 17. März, Seite 199-203

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Wong, Anselm [VerfasserIn]
Gunja, Naren [VerfasserIn]
McNulty, Richard [VerfasserIn]
Graudins, Andis [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

362O9ITL9D
Acetaminophen
Acetylcysteine
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
Hepatotoxicity
Journal Article
Liver
Overdose
Paracetamol
Poisoning
WYQ7N0BPYC

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 06.05.2019

Date Revised 06.05.2019

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1080/15563650.2017.1359620

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM274856689