Megan A French1, Giulia Lorenzoni2, Danila Azzolina2, Solidea Baldas1, Dario Gregori3, Achal Gulati4. 1. Prochild ONLUS, Trieste, Italy. 2. Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, DCTV, University of Padova, Italy. 3. Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, DCTV, University of Padova, Italy. Electronic address: dario.gregori@unipd.it. 4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology (E.N.T.), Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify specific patterns of risk in order to contribute to the prevention of Foreign Body (FB) injuries by assessing FB injury characteristics in Indian children. METHODS: Single center case series are included in the worldwide registry on Foreign Bodies Injuries www.susysafe.org. Statistical analysis performed on FB injury data (age, medical information, FB anatomical location (ICD) and characteristics, and situational data) from 252 Indian children (0-14 years) was used to identify FB risk patterns. RESULTS: The study included 252 FB injury cases, out of which 110 occurred in females (43.7%). Most of the reported FB injuries (N = 252) were located in the mouth, esophagus and stomach, or intestines and colon (34.5%), and in the nose (31.3%). The analysis of the median duration of all injuries (i.e., the difference between the reported injury time/date and the reported time/date of arrival at hospital) showed that children with a FB in the airways were those referred to the hospital latest (median of 332.50 min, p-value <0.001). With regards to FB type, the majority of FB objects were non-food items and ingestion of coins accounted for 25% of all FB injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Cultural differences may exist with regards to the Indian diet being conducive to lower choking food risk for children, and to acceptability and accessibility to objects such as coins and stationery. Such findings should be taken into account when developing primary and secondary prevention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of such injuries in India.
OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify specific patterns of risk in order to contribute to the prevention of Foreign Body (FB) injuries by assessing FB injury characteristics in Indian children. METHODS: Single center case series are included in the worldwide registry on Foreign Bodies Injuries www.susysafe.org. Statistical analysis performed on FB injury data (age, medical information, FB anatomical location (ICD) and characteristics, and situational data) from 252 Indian children (0-14 years) was used to identify FB risk patterns. RESULTS: The study included 252 FB injury cases, out of which 110 occurred in females (43.7%). Most of the reported FB injuries (N = 252) were located in the mouth, esophagus and stomach, or intestines and colon (34.5%), and in the nose (31.3%). The analysis of the median duration of all injuries (i.e., the difference between the reported injury time/date and the reported time/date of arrival at hospital) showed that children with a FB in the airways were those referred to the hospital latest (median of 332.50 min, p-value <0.001). With regards to FB type, the majority of FB objects were non-food items and ingestion of coins accounted for 25% of all FB injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Cultural differences may exist with regards to the Indian diet being conducive to lower choking food risk for children, and to acceptability and accessibility to objects such as coins and stationery. Such findings should be taken into account when developing primary and secondary prevention strategies aimed at reducing the burden of such injuries in India.