Findings in Germany Concerning Liquid Products and Substances Involving an Aspiration Risk

Background: Cases of hydrocarbon ingestion are frequentin man all around the world and the spectrum ofthe products involved are in the range from degreasingfluids to tyre cleansers. Reports in Germany have oftenshown that only some defined liquid products and substancescaused typical aspiration symptoms. For hazardassessment of liquid products and substances the BfRDocumentation Centre for Poisonings analysed appropriatedata pools containing poisonings with cases ofaspiration in the last 20 years. Methods: The BfRDocumentation Centre for Poisonings found appropriatedata only in its own compulsory data collection since1990. The main focus of the investigation of the casesof poisonings associated with aspiration risk weresymptoms and signs like coughing, depression ofbreath, cyanosis, aspiration and chemical pneumonia,The investigations had been in particular; 1) cases fromthe spontaneous German Federal Reporting SystemPara 16e of "Physicians" for cases of poisoning between1990-2008 enclosed with additional 2) cases from theBfR Study "Dangerous Lamp Oils" between 2000-2006with reports of about 450 German childrens' hospitals.The data were compiled and analysed by means of theSAS-System, seriousness rating by Poisoning SeverityScore. Results: Out of a total number of 57,093reports on cases of poisoning, concerning liquid productsand substances 472 cases were due to partly seriousaspiration / pneumonia (330 cases with paraffine- /petroleumdistillate- / kerosene - containing lamp oils /grilllighters, 30 cases with solvent petroleum containinginsectides, 26 cases with detergent-containing cleanersand other). Out of the total cases we could not documentcases with petrol, diesel, solvents, edible oil and otherhydrocarbons. Conclusion: Based on reports by Germanphysicians (1990-2008) enclosing cases of the BfRLamp Oil Study (2000-2006), we think a real aspirationrisk is only associated with ingestion involvingparaffine-, petroleumdistillate-, kerosene- and detergent-containing liquid products and substances. Basingon these figures on human ingestions only distincthydrocarbons carry a risk of aspiration and not thegroup in general.