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07-27-15 Are e-cigarettes still a concern?
Question of the Week
July 27, 2015
Are e-cigarettes still a concern?
The following is TN Poison Center data that was submitted to the FDA from Tennessee Department of Health. There are two interesting facts. The number of exposures has markedly increased-from 30 exposures in 2013 to 157 exposures in 2014 and potentially more in 2015. However, the Poison Center kept most of these patients at home and prevented ED visits that were unnecessary and costly. For discussion of e-cigarettes, please see previous Question of the Week for April 7, 2014. (www.tnpoisoncenter.org and click on the “FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS” tab)
EXPOSURE ROUTES (by year)
|
Year |
Ingestion |
Inhalation/nasal |
Ocular |
Dermal |
Unknown |
|
2011 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2012 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013 |
24 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
2014 |
115 |
12 |
12 |
17 |
1 |
|
2015 (1st half) |
48 |
3 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
MANAGEMENT SITES
|
Year |
At home |
HCF Treated/Released |
HCF Admitted non-critical unit |
HCF Admitted to psych |
HCF Lost to follow up/left AMA |
Unknown site |
|
2011 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2012 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2013 |
23 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
|
2014 |
102 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
1 |
|
2015 (1st half) |
43 |
14 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
Data analysis performed by John Benitez MD, MPH and Cheri Wessels BSN, MBA, CSPI.
This question prepared by: Donna Seger, MD Medical Toxicologist