Epidemiology and Clinical Characteristics of Acute Plant Exposure in Patients Aged between 0 and 18 Years—A Six-Year Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Exposure to plants accounts for approximately 5% of human poisoning cases reported by poison control centers in North America and Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate acute plant poisoning in patients aged 0–18 years admitted to a Romanian pediatric poison center, focusing on epidemiological and clinical aspects. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted between 2017 and 2022, analyzing medical records for demographic information, clinical features, biological findings, and outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: 71 patients (aged 7 months to 16 years) presented with acute plant poisoning. Most cases were unintentional (92.9%), peaking during the autumn season. Colocasia (18.3%), Dieffenbachia (9.8%), and Ricinus (5%) were the most frequently involved plants. Gastrointestinal symptoms, especially vomiting, predominated. The Poisoning Severity Score classified most cases as mild (52.1%), with no severe or fatal cases. The mean length of hospitalization was 1.8 days. Conclusions: Unintentional plant exposure, mainly in children under 5 years of age, accounted for more than 90% of cases. Gastrointestinal exposure and symptoms were prevalent, and treatment consisted mainly of symptomatic and supportive measures. Severe and fatal cases were rare, highlighting the generally favorable outcome and low incidence of severe poisoning in the pediatric population.