Abstract
Introduction
We sought to compare antiemetic use after acetaminophen poisoning in patients treated with oral or intravenous (IV) N-acetylcysteine (NAC).
Methods
Our retrospective chart review identified 20 orally treated patients and 17 IV-treated patients. For both groups, we calculated the total number of antiemetic doses given, their associated cost, and also determined parameters that correlated with antiemetic use.
Results
IV-treated patients received fewer total antiemetic doses than those receiving oral NAC (1.1 ± 0.2 vs. 2.8 ± 0.7; P = 0.04). Antiemetic cost correlated with doses received for both groups; however, because the regression lines differed (P = 0.02), antiemetic therapy cost was less in IV-treated patients. In addition, serum acetaminophen concentration correlated with total antiemetic doses in oral NAC patients (P < 0.002) but not with IV treatment patients (P = 0.78).
Conclusions
Intravenous NAC reduced antiemetic utilization, and it costs less than oral therapy. Furthermore, antiemetic use appeared to be determined by a combination of acetaminophen concentration and NAC administration route.
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Miller, M.A., Navarro, M., Bird, S.B. et al. Antiemetic use in acetaminophen poisoning: How does the route of N-acetylcysteine administration affect utilization?. J. Med. Toxicol. 3, 152–156 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160931
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03160931