Paracetamol toxicity: What would be the implications of a change in Australian treatment guidelines?

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aims to study the implications for resource utilisation if Australia adopted recent revised UK treatment guidelines for paracetamol poisoning. Methods: Retrospective database review of paracetamol toxicity presentations and calls from the Victorian Poisons Information Centre (VPIC) and Austin Hospital, Victoria, Australia, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011. There were 200 presentations at the Austin Hospital, and the VPIC received 4272 calls regarding paracetamol toxicity. An analytical model was designed to estimate the cost of this additional treatment and referral to hospital. The main outcome measures were the potential increase in number of admissions..