Table 1.
Main characteristics of cases presenting due to paracetamol intoxication.
| All (N = 181) | Intentional (n = 143) | Unintentional (n = 38) | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in years | 25.0 (16–85) | 23.0 (16–85) | 43.5 (16–79) | <0.001 |
| Women | 138 (76) | 121 (85) | 17 (45) | <0.001 |
| Swiss citizens | 147 (81) | 119 (83) | 28 (74) | 0.18 |
| Paracetamol g/24 h | 10.8 (5–90) | 12.9 (5–90) | 8.2 (5–25) | <0.001 |
| Intake as a single dose | 120 (66) | 115 (80) | 5 (13) | <0.001 |
| <24 h between ingestion and presentation | 131(72) | 120 (84) | 11 (29) | <0.001 |
| Intake of paracetamol only | 99 (55) | 71 (50) | 28 (74) | 0.008 |
| Psychiatric comorbidities | 142 (78) | 133 (93) | 9 (24) | <0.001 |
| DILI | 8 (4) | 7 (5) | 1 (3) | 0.54 |
| ALF | 15 (8) | 6 (4) | 9 (24) | <0.001 |
| Death | 2 (1) | 1 (<1) | 1 (3) | 0.30 |
| Treatment as outpatients | 84 (46) | 75 (52) | 9 (24) | 0.002 |
| Time of hospitalisation in days£ | 2.0 (1–21) | 2.0 (1–21) | 2.0 (1–15) | 0.001 |
£Time of hospitalisation not known in ten cases with admission to another hospital. Values are expressed as median (range) or n (%); bold numbers indicate significant differences (p < 0.05) between the intentional and unintentional groups.