Accidental Ingestion of Petroleum in Children at the University Hospital of Brazzaville

Introduction: Petroleum ingestion is a health problem in Africa and can be responsible for significant mortality. Objectives: Improving the management of accidental petroleum ingestion in children, describe the socio-demographic characteristics, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary profile of children hospitalized for accidental ingestion of petroleum and identify the factors associated with the occurrence of petroleum pneumopathy. Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study with retrospective collection from January 2016 to December 2015, i.e. in 24 months in the Pediatric Intensive Care and Infant Pediatrics departments at the University Hospital of Brazzaville. We included children who accidentally ingested petroleum. The variables studied were epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, radiological and evolutionary. The statistical tests used were Pearson’s Chi2 and Odds ratio. The materiality threshold was set at 5%. Results: Out of 8013 children hospitalized, 78 (1%) had accidentally ingested petroleum, including 49 (62.8%) boys and 29 (37.3%) girls with an average age of 20 months. They were between 13 and 30 months old n = 44 (56.4%). The mothers were between 25 and 35 years old n = 49 (62.8%), no profession n = 31 (39.7%) and secondary education level n = 49 (62.8%). The mode of ingestion was self-ingestion (75.6%). The place of occurrence was the family home (92.3%). The motive of admission was breathlessness n = 59 (75.6%). An auscultation anomaly was noted n = 46 (59%), a pneumopathy n = 43 (55.1%). The treatment consisted of oxygen therapy n = 51 (65.4%), antibiotic therapy n = 70 (89.7%). The factors associated with the occurrence of a pneumopathy were: maneuvers performed and the existence of a cough. The lethality was 3.8%. Conclusion: The high frequency of accidental petroleum ingestions in children with an outcome often marked by pulmonary complications and the related case fatality rate requires primary preventive measures that rely on information, communication for behavior change with an emphasis on careful storage of toxic products and to refrain from harmful actions when faced with petroleum intoxication.