{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33972"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/33972","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A prospective study to assess the value of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in the management of paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa","abstract":"Background: Paediatric poisoning is a common presentation to emergency departments worldwide. There is a paucity of data on the role of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), in the management of paediatric poisoning in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries, most studies are retrospective, and few include children. Objective: The study describes the prevalence of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry confirmed paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Children admitted with suspected poisoning between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were recruited. All patients had a urine and/or blood sample sent for LC-MS/MS toxicology. Data collected included demographic data, clinical features, investigations, management, outcome and social interventions. Results 152 children, with median age of 39 (IQR 25 -61) months were enrolled of which 128 (84%) were poisoning cases. Of the 128 poisoning cases, 88 (69%) presented with a history of ingesting a known substance, 16(12%) an unknown substance and 24(19%) were cases of occult poisoning. LC-MS/MS was able to identify a substance in 92% of the cases of occult poisoning. In those who had presented with a seemingly known substance, LC-MS/MS found a different substance in 15 cases. LC-MS/MS was also able to detect multiple drugs in 40 patients. Of the poisoning cases, six (5%) cases were attempted homicide cases and 5 (4%) cases were attempted suicide cases. No children died. Individualized social interventions were instituted in poisoning cases. Emergency placement safety reasons was required in 6 children. Conclusion: When the limitations are known, LC-MS/MS is useful in identifying cases of occult poisoning; identifying patients who have ingested multiple substances and/or an unknown substance and when targeted towards child protection. As LC-MS/MS is an expensive test, it should be used judiciously in LMICs.","abstract_html":"Background: Paediatric poisoning is a common presentation to emergency departments worldwide. There is a paucity of data on the role of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), in the management of paediatric poisoning in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries, most studies are retrospective, and few include children. Objective: The study describes the prevalence of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry confirmed paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Children admitted with suspected poisoning between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were recruited. All patients had a urine and/or blood sample sent for LC-MS/MS toxicology. Data collected included demographic data, clinical features, investigations, management, outcome and social interventions. Results 152 children, with median age of 39 (IQR 25 -61) months were enrolled of which 128 (84%) were poisoning cases. Of the 128 poisoning cases, 88 (69%) presented with a history of ingesting a known substance, 16(12%) an unknown substance and 24(19%) were cases of occult poisoning. LC-MS/MS was able to identify a substance in 92% of the cases of occult poisoning. In those who had presented with a seemingly known substance, LC-MS/MS found a different substance in 15 cases. LC-MS/MS was also able to detect multiple drugs in 40 patients. Of the poisoning cases, six (5%) cases were attempted homicide cases and 5 (4%) cases were attempted suicide cases. No children died. Individualized social interventions were instituted in poisoning cases. Emergency placement safety reasons was required in 6 children. Conclusion: When the limitations are known, LC-MS/MS is useful in identifying cases of occult poisoning; identifying patients who have ingested multiple substances and/or an unknown substance and when targeted towards child protection. As LC-MS/MS is an expensive test, it should be used judiciously in LMICs.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Washaya, Norbertta Nzwisisayi"],"institution":"Department of Paediatrics and Child Health","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Buys, Heloise","Muloiwa Rudzani"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020","date_published":"2020","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:00Z","subjects":["Poisoning","Africa","children","mass spectrometry","LC-MS/MS toxicology results in poisoning cases"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33972","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Buys, Heloise","Muloiwa Rudzani"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Washaya, Norbertta Nzwisisayi"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2021-09-20T07:50:36Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2021-09-20T07:50:36Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2020"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Paediatrics and Child Health"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters","MMed"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Poisoning","Africa","children","mass spectrometry","LC-MS/MS toxicology results in poisoning cases"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33972"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Paediatric poisoning is a common presentation to emergency departments worldwide. There is a paucity of data on the role of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), in the management of paediatric poisoning in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries, most studies are retrospective, and few include children. Objective: The study describes the prevalence of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry confirmed paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Children admitted with suspected poisoning between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were recruited. All patients had a urine and/or blood sample sent for LC-MS/MS toxicology. Data collected included demographic data, clinical features, investigations, management, outcome and social interventions. Results 152 children, with median age of 39 (IQR 25 -61) months were enrolled of which 128 (84%) were poisoning cases. Of the 128 poisoning cases, 88 (69%) presented with a history of ingesting a known substance, 16(12%) an unknown substance and 24(19%) were cases of occult poisoning. LC-MS/MS was able to identify a substance in 92% of the cases of occult poisoning. In those who had presented with a seemingly known substance, LC-MS/MS found a different substance in 15 cases. LC-MS/MS was also able to detect multiple drugs in 40 patients. Of the poisoning cases, six (5%) cases were attempted homicide cases and 5 (4%) cases were attempted suicide cases. No children died. Individualized social interventions were instituted in poisoning cases. Emergency placement safety reasons was required in 6 children. Conclusion: When the limitations are known, LC-MS/MS is useful in identifying cases of occult poisoning; identifying patients who have ingested multiple substances and/or an unknown substance and when targeted towards child protection. As LC-MS/MS is an expensive test, it should be used judiciously in LMICs."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A prospective study to assess the value of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in the management of paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Buys, Heloise","Muloiwa Rudzani"],"dc:creator":["Washaya, Norbertta Nzwisisayi"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2021-09-20T07:50:36Z"],"dc:date.available":["2021-09-20T07:50:36Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2020"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Paediatric poisoning is a common presentation to emergency departments worldwide. There is a paucity of data on the role of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), in the management of paediatric poisoning in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In high-income countries, most studies are retrospective, and few include children. Objective: The study describes the prevalence of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry confirmed paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Methods Children admitted with suspected poisoning between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2017, were recruited. All patients had a urine and/or blood sample sent for LC-MS/MS toxicology. Data collected included demographic data, clinical features, investigations, management, outcome and social interventions. Results 152 children, with median age of 39 (IQR 25 -61) months were enrolled of which 128 (84%) were poisoning cases. Of the 128 poisoning cases, 88 (69%) presented with a history of ingesting a known substance, 16(12%) an unknown substance and 24(19%) were cases of occult poisoning. LC-MS/MS was able to identify a substance in 92% of the cases of occult poisoning. In those who had presented with a seemingly known substance, LC-MS/MS found a different substance in 15 cases. LC-MS/MS was also able to detect multiple drugs in 40 patients. Of the poisoning cases, six (5%) cases were attempted homicide cases and 5 (4%) cases were attempted suicide cases. No children died. Individualized social interventions were instituted in poisoning cases. Emergency placement safety reasons was required in 6 children. Conclusion: When the limitations are known, LC-MS/MS is useful in identifying cases of occult poisoning; identifying patients who have ingested multiple substances and/or an unknown substance and when targeted towards child protection. As LC-MS/MS is an expensive test, it should be used judiciously in LMICs."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33972"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Paediatrics and Child Health"],"dc:subject":["Poisoning","Africa","children","mass spectrometry","LC-MS/MS toxicology results in poisoning cases"],"dc:title":["A prospective study to assess the value of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in the management of paediatric poisoning at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters","MMed"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:00Z"}