Table 1.
Reasons for use, related clinical effects, chronicity, and time to onset reported with chlorine dioxide exposure cases, reported to U.S. poison centers, from January 1, 2000 to March 31, 2020 (N = 53).
| n (%) | |
|---|---|
| Reason for use as reported in case narratives* | |
| Cure all/supplement | 5 (9.4) |
| Accidental exposure | 5 (9.4) |
| Detoxification | 4 (7.5) |
| Constipation | 2 (3.8) |
| Toothache | 2 (3.8) |
| Autism | 1 (1.9) |
| Candida | 1 (1.9) |
| Cold | 1 (1.9) |
| Facial abscess | 1 (1.9) |
| Herpes | 1 (1.9) |
| Lyme disease | 1 (1.9) |
| Lymphoma | 1 (1.9) |
| Shingles | 1 (1.9) |
| Self-harm | 1 (1.9) |
| Scabies | 1 (1.9) |
| Sinus pain | 1 (1.9) |
| Not documented | 24 (45.3) |
| Related clinical effects, reported in ≥2 cases** | |
| Vomiting | 26 (49.1) |
| Nausea | 15 (28.3) |
| Abdominal Pain | 12 (22.6) |
| Diarrhea | 11 (20.8) |
| Oral/Throat irritation, Cough/choke | 9 (17.0) |
| Burns 2 – 3 degree, Burns (superficial), Oral Burns (include lips) | 4 (7.5) |
| Ocular - Irritation/pain/red eye/conjunctivitis | 3 (5.7) |
| Diaphoresis | 2 (3.8) |
| Chest pain (include noncardiac) | 2 (3.8) |
| Electrolyte abnormality | 2 (3.8) |
| Chronicity as categorized by poison center staff | |
| Acute | 45 (84.9) |
| Acute-on-chronic | 1 (1.9) |
| Chronic | 6 (11.3) |
| Unknown | 1 (1.9) |
| Time to onset as reported in case narratives | |
| Immediate to ≤1 hour | 16 (30.2) |
| >1 hour to ≤24 hours | 24 (45.2) |
| >1 day to ≤1 week | 5 (9.4) |
| 2 months | 1 (1.9) |
| Unknown | 7 (13.2) |
*
We relied on the reason for use as stated in the report because it provided more specificity in determining purported indication than the structured National Poison Data System code.
**
Some cases reported more than one related clinical effect. There were 44 cases with a clinical effect assessed as related to chlorine dioxide.