[Ingestión de plantas en niños menores de 5 años con diarrea aguda infantil]
a
Hospital de Niños Dr. Jorge Lizarraga, Ciudad Hospitalaria Dr. Enrique Tejera, Valencia, Edo Carabobo, Venezuela
b Universidad de Carabobo, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Venezuela
c Servicio de Emergencias Pediátricas, Centro Policlínico La Viña, Valencia, Venezuela
b Universidad de Carabobo, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Escuela de Medicina, Venezuela
c Servicio de Emergencias Pediátricas, Centro Policlínico La Viña, Valencia, Venezuela
Abstract
The use of medicinal plants in infant acute diarrhea (DAI) is a common practice in Venezuela,
and poisoning as a result is common. Such practice carries high
economic and human costs from a high hospitalization rate, and high
morbidity and mortality. The research objective was to describe the
socio-epidemiological characteristics of children with diarrhea who
ingested plants during the period 2003 in the Children's Hospital "Dr.
Jorge Lizarraga. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive,
retrospective, and non-experimental study. 4145 medical records of
patients <5 years of age treated for diarrhea at the Children's
Hospital "Dr. Jorge Lizarraga" in Valencia, Venezuela,
between January and December 2003, were reviewed. The sample was
non-random and conveniently chosen, and consisted of 527 children who
had a history of ingesting plants while suffering from diarrheal
illness. Results: From all the consultations in 2003, 11.3% had acute
diarrhea, and 12.7% had a history of plant consumption. 86.2% were <2
years, and out of these, the <6 months (30.7%) were the most
affected. Male was the predominant sex. Marginal working class
represented 86.9%. Chamomile ranked first as an alternative therapy for
DAI, followed by mint. 74.6% received a single-plant infusion or tea,
and 25.4% multiple-plant infusions. 14% of the patients with infant
acute diarrhea and ingestion of plants had a higher frequency of
hospitalization and mortality (2%). Mint, pazote, chamomile, pennyroyal
and black tea were the most common plants ingested by children who died.
Conclusions: Children <5 years with acute diarrhea who are treated
by their parents with plant infusions as a therapeutic alternative are
hospitalized more frequently, and tend to have more complications
leading to an increased morbidity and mortality.
Author keywords
Herbal infusions; Infant acute diarrhea; Poisoning plants
