Descriptive analysis of poisoning cases involving attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications in Hong Kong.

INTRODUCTION: The number of poisoning cases involving attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications has reportedly risen with their increased use. However, there is limited relevant evidence from Asia. We analysed the characteristics of poisoning events involving these medications in Hong Kong. METHODS: We retrieved data regarding ADHD medication-related poisoning cases from the Hong Kong Poison Information Centre and conducted a descriptive analysis of the demographic information and poisoning information including sources of cases, exposure reason, exposure location, and outcome. The HKPIC data were linked with the Hospital Authority Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) via de-identified Accident and Emergency numbers of public hospitals to investigate clinical characteristics. We also retrieved ADHD medication prescription records from the CDARS, then compared trends between poisoning cases and ADHD medication use. RESULTS: We identified 72 poisoning cases involving ADHD medications between 2009 and 2019, of which approximately 70% occurred in the affected individual's residence; most were intentional poisoning events (65.3%). No statistically significant association was observed between ADHD medication prescription trends and poisoning events involving ADHD medications. Of the 66 cases (91.7%) successfully linked to CDARS, 40 (60.6%) occurred in individuals with ADHD (median age: 14 years); 26 (39.4%) occurred in individuals who lacked ADHD (median age: 33 years) but displayed higher rates of other mental disorders including depression and anxiety. CONCLUSION: No significant correlation was evident between ADHD medication prescriptions and poisoning events involving ADHD medications. However, medication management and caregiver education must be emphasised to prevent potential poisoning events.

Short- and potential long-term adverse health outcomes of COVID-19: a rapid review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in millions of patients infected worldwide and indirectly affecting even more individuals through disruption of daily living. Long-term adverse outcomes have been reported with similar diseases from other coronaviruses, namely Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 adversely affects different systems in the human body. This review summarizes the current evidence on the short-term adverse health outcomes and assesses the risk of potential long-term adverse outcomes of COVID-19. Major adverse outcomes were found to affect different body systems: immune system (including but not limited to Guillain-Barré syndrome and paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome), respiratory system (lung fibrosis and pulmonary thromboembolism), cardiovascular system (cardiomyopathy and coagulopathy), neurological system (sensory dysfunction and stroke), as well as cutaneous and gastrointestinal manifestations, impaired hepatic and renal function. Mental health in patients with COVID-19 was also found to be adversely affected. The burden of caring for COVID-19 survivors is likely to be huge. Therefore, it is important for policy makers to develop comprehensive strategies in providing resources and capacity in the healthcare system. Future epidemiological studies are needed to further investigate the long-term impact on COVID-19 survivors.