TABLE 1.
Numbers of Cases and National Estimates of Adverse Events From CCMs Among Children Aged <12 Years Treated in EDs According to Case Characteristics: United States, January 1, 2004 Through December 31, 2011
| Case Characteristics | Cases, n | National Estimate of ED Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | 95% CI | ||
| Patient age, y | ||||
| <2 | 295 | 14 516 | 23.7 | 19.3–28.2 |
| 2–3 | 645 | 30 747 | 50.3 | 45.7–54.8 |
| 4–5 | 179 | 8766 | 14.3 | 11.6–17.1 |
| 6–11 | 151 | 7138 | 11.7 | 8.9–14.5 |
| Patient gender | ||||
| Female | 597 | 29 613 | 48.4 | 43.9–52.9 |
| Male | 673 | 31 555 | 51.6 | 47.1–56.1 |
| Medication marketing category | ||||
| OTC | 1008 | 46 875 | 76.6 | 72.1–81.2 |
| Prescription | 168 | 9622 | 15.7 | 11.2–20.3 |
| Unknown | 94 | 4671 | 7.6 | 5.2–10.1 |
| ED treatment and disposition | ||||
| Gastric decontamination | 224 | 9929 | 16.2 | 12.0–20.5 |
| Treated and released or left against medical advice | 1048 | 54 872 | 89.7 | 84.5–95.0 |
| Adverse event manifestation | ||||
| No symptoms documented | 742 | 36 973 | 60.4 | 54.3–66.5 |
| Allergic reaction | 236 | 13 011 | 21.3 | 16.2–26.4 |
| Neurologic | 195 | 7331 | 12.0 | 8.2–15.8 |
| Gastrointestinal | 79 | 2538 | 4.1 | 2.6–5.7 |
| Behavioral | 56 | 1948 | 3.2 | 1.6–4.8 |
| Total | 1270 | 61 168 | 100 | |
Case counts and estimates from National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–Cooperative Adverse Drug Event Surveillance, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CCMs include orally administered prescription or OTC products containing decongestants, antitussive agents, and/or expectorants alone or in combination with each other and/or with analgesics or antihistamines.