Estudio multicéntrico de ingesta de imanes en los servicios de urgencias pediátricos españoles / Multicentre study of magnet ingestion in Spanish paediatric emergency departments

Introducción: Las ingestas de objetos imantados pueden presentar complicaciones en el niño, no existiendo datos epidemiológicos ni clínicos en España. Objetivos: Conocer la incidencia de ingesta de objetos imantados en los servicios de urgencias pediátricos españoles, sus características epidemiológicas y su manejo. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional prospectivo multicéntrico realizado durante 3 años. Población de referencia menores de 14 años. Resultados: La incidencia fue de 4,8/100.000 urgencias. De los 72 pacientes incluidos (edad media de 7,2 años), el 54% fueron varones. El 7% presentaron antecedentes neuropsiquiátricos. El 61% de los imanes fueron esféricos y el 69% procedían de juguetes. El tamaño fue variable con un predominio de los imanes entre 5 y 10mm (50%). El 86% fueron asintomáticos. El síntoma más frecuente fue el dolor abdominal. El 83% de los pacientes consultaron en menos de 6h y el 92% en las primeras 24h. El 31% fueron ingestas múltiples. El 15% precisó intervención endoscópica, cifra que ascendió al 36% en los casos de ingestas múltiples. No se realizó ninguna intervención quirúrgica. No se observó ninguna complicación gastrointestinal secundaria. Conclusiones: Las ingestas de imanes múltiples son menos frecuentes que las simples y en este estudio no se han observado complicaciones a pesar de que las intervenciones realizadas han sido menores que en otros estudios. (AU)

Introduction: The ingestion of magnetic objects can cause complications in children, and there are no epidemiological or clinical data on the subject in Spain. Objectives: To determine the incidence, epidemiological characteristics and management of magnet ingestion in paediatric emergency departments in Spain. Material and methods: Prospective observational multicentre study conducted over a 3-year period. The study universe consisted of patients aged less than 14 years. Results: The incidence was 4.8 cases per 100 000 emergency care episodes. Of the 72 patients included (mean age, 7.2 years), 54% were male. Seven percent had neuropsychiatric disorders. Sixty-one percent of the magnets were spherical and 69% came from toys. The size was variable, most frequently between 5 and 10mm (50%), and ranging from 3 to 30mm. Eighty-six percent of patients were asymptomatic. The most frequent symptom was abdominal pain. Eighty-three percent of the patients sought medical care within 6h of ingestion and 92% within 24h. Thirty-one percent of the cases were of multiple ingestion. Endoscopy was required for extraction in 15% of cases, a proportion that rose to 36% in the group of cases of multiple ingestion. None of the patients required surgery. We did not observe any gastrointestinal complications of magnet ingestion. Conclusions: The ingestion of multiple magnets is less frequent than single magnet ingestion, and we did not observe any complications despite the lower frequency of procedures compared to other studies. (AU)

Multicentre study of magnet ingestion in Spanish paediatric emergency departments.

INTRODUCTION: The ingestion of magnetic objects can cause complications in children, and there are no epidemiological or clinical data on the subject in Spain. OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence, epidemiological characteristics and management of magnet ingestion in paediatric emergency departments in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective observational multicentre study conducted over a 3-year period. The study universe consisted of patients aged less than 14 years. RESULTS: The incidence was 4.8 cases per 100 000 emergency care episodes. Of the 72 patients included (mean age, 7.2 years), 54% were male. Seven percent had neuropsychiatric disorders. Sixty-one percent of the magnets were spherical and 69% came from toys. The size was variable, most frequently between 5 and 10 mm (50%), and ranging from 3 to 30 mm. Eighty-six percent of patients were asymptomatic. The most frequent symptom was abdominal pain. Eighty-three percent of the patients sought medical care within 6 h of ingestion and 92% within 24 h. Thirty-one percent of the cases were of multiple ingestion. Endoscopy was required for extraction in 15% of cases, a proportion that rose to 36% in the group of cases of multiple ingestion. None of the patients required surgery. We did not observe any gastrointestinal complications of magnet ingestion. CONCLUSIONS: The ingestion of multiple magnets is less frequent than single magnet ingestion, and we did not observe any complications despite the lower frequency of procedures compared to other studies.