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T L Litovitz

Publications and source records attributed to T L Litovitz.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The anecdotal antidotes.

The author reviews obscure or unusual antidote recommendations, emphasizing antidotes or antidote uses that are not generally acknowledged or that have little experimental or clinical confirmation of their efficacy. Also included are unusual uses of well known antidotes. Among the antidotes considered are naloxone, physostigmine, folate, Prussian blue, n-acetylcysteine, cimetidine, subcutaneous magnesium salts, nicotinamide, and thioctic acid.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1983

Amoxapine overdose. Seizures and fatalities.

Thirty-three amoxapine overdoses, including five fatalities, were reported to two regional poison centers over an 18-month study period. The 15.2% mortality rate stands in alarming contrast to the 0.7% death rate for all other cyclic antidepressant overdoses reported to these same two centers during the study. Seizure activity was noted in 36.4% of amoxapine overdoses, compared with 4.3% of other cyclic antidepressant poisonings. Amoxapine appears to be responsible for a disproportionate share of seizures and deaths resulting from cyclic antidepressant overdose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Button battery ingestions. A review of 56 cases.

A retrospective analysis of 56 button (miniature) battery ingestions was conducted. This represents the largest series in the literature studying this problem. Impaction of these foreign bodies, most frequently in the esophagus (five cases), was a uniform predictor of severe morbidity. In the remaining 51 cases, the battery traversed the esophagus without incident; only four of these ingestions produced symptoms, and there was only one case with any severe complications. In 33 asymptomatic patients, the battery passed spontaneously through the gastrointestinal tract. Fourteen patients underwent endoscopic or operative procedures or both despite the absence of symptoms. Unanticipated mucosal erosions were noted in seven of these patients, although no symptoms or sequelae developed. Initial chest roentgenogram and observation for symptoms will detect ingestors at risk of complications. Operative or endoscopic intervention should be withheld in the absence of these clinical indicators. Button batteries can routinely be allowed to pass spontaneously.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1982

Poison center operations: the necessity of follow-up.

A retrospective study of 2,526 calls made to a regional poison center demonstrated the value of telephone follow-up of poison exposures. Further treatment recommendations were required in 21.2% of follow-up calls, more than 25% of which were made to physicians. Poison prevention education and data collection were accomplished in more than 95% of cases. Twenty-four telephone follow-up calls corrected major treatment errors, corresponding to a dramatic change in patient management more than twice each week. This study delineates the functions and value of the follow-up call in the treatment and prevention of poisonings and in toxicologic research. Because the effective use of this procedure is limited to comprehensive poison centers with vast resources and full-time staff, this study further supports regionalization to promote maximal utilization of this and other elements of poison control.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recurrent poisonings among paediatric poisoning victims.

A study of 1943 potentially toxic ingestions occurring in children under 6 years of age was conducted by 3 geographically and demographically diverse poison centres to determine the incidence of exposures to poison. Of the total group, 30.1% indicated that the child had experienced a prior poison exposure (12.0% in children under 1 year of age, and 41.3% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 years). Most repeaters (68.9%) experienced only 1 prior ingestion (range 1 to 15). Two prior ingestions were reported in 17.6% of repeaters; 3 prior ingestions in 4.4%. A profound effect of age on type of substance ingested was observed, with drugs accounting for 11.0% of ingestions in children under the age of 1 year, 23.2% in 1-year-old, and 49.9% in 2- to 5-year-old. A corresponding age-related decline in ingestions of household and personal care products was also noted. Although less marked than the age effect, a statistically significant propensity to re-ingest similar types of poisons was observed. Among repeaters, those with a prior ingestion of a drug subsequently ingested another drug 1.49 times more frequently than expected. A similar trend was observed with products (1.24 times more frequently) and plants (2.00 times more frequently).

Age Factors↗