The Multicentre Study of Poisoning in Children (MSPC) Score can be used to grade the severity of childhood poisoning. This can provide an objective measure for comparing patients. It was developed in Europe and is based on the PhoneTOXscore.
Parameters:
(1) gastrointestinal system
(2) nervous system
(3) respiratory system
(4) circulatory system
(5) renal system
(6) hepatic system
(7) skin
(8) metabolic
(9) corrosive effect
Grades for each parameter:
(1) mild
(2) moderate
(3) severe
(4) very severe
Gastrointestinal System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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nausea |
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non-induced vomiting and/or diarrhea <= 2 |
vomiting and/or diarrhea > 2 |
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dysphagia |
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salivation |
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oral burning |
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persistent abdominal pain |
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Central Nervous System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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headache |
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tiredness |
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vertigo |
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ataxia |
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anxiety/agitation |
severe agitation |
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lethargy |
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somnolescence |
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coma responsive to pain |
coma unresponsive to pain |
coma with respiratory depression |
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hallucinosis |
delirium |
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isolated seizure |
repeated seizures |
status epilepticus |
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extra-pyramidal reactions |
severe dystonic reaction |
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cerebral edema |
Peripheral Nervous System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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tremor |
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paresthesia |
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muscular twitching |
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mild autonomic disturbances (anticholinergic, cholinergic, adrenergic) |
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Respiratory System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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irritative cough |
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mild cyanosis |
cyanosis |
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bronchospasm |
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brief apnea |
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dyspnea |
bradypnea |
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pulmonary edema |
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pneumonia |
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ARDS |
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respiratory insufficiency requiring ventilation |
Circulatory System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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mild tachycardia (75-95th percentile) |
pronounced tachycardia (> 95th percentile) |
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bradycardia (< 5th percentile) |
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isolated extrasystole |
serious arrhythmia (ventricular extrasystoles, wide QRS complexes) |
ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, asystole |
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significant hypertension |
severe hypertension |
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first degree AV block |
second degree AV block |
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hypotension with clinical signs |
circulatory failure with shock |
where:
• Third degree block is not listed in the original table
Renal System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
---|---|---|---|
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proteinuria 150-300 mg per 24 hours |
proteinuria > 300 mg per 24 hours |
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microhematuria |
macrohematuria |
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volume 0.5-1.0 mL per kg per hour |
volume < 0.5 mL per kg per hour |
anuria |
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serum creatinine 100-179 µmol/L |
serum creatinine 180-910 µmol/L |
serum creatinine > 910 µmol/L |
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creatinine clearance 51-80 mL/min per 1.73 square meters |
creatinine clearance 10-50 mL/min per 1.73 square meters |
creatinine clearance < 10 mL/min per 1.73 square meters |
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renal failure requiring dialysis |
Hepatic System
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
---|---|---|---|
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ALT (SGPT) increased but < 300 U/L |
ALT 300-3000 U/L |
ALT > 3000 U/L |
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AST (SGOT) increased but < 300 U/L |
AST 300-3000 U/L |
AST > 3000 U/L |
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coagulation tests abnormal without clinical signs |
coagulopathy with mild bleeding but no anemia |
coagulopathy with severe bleeding and anemia |
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mildly elevated bilirubin |
moderately elevated bilirubin |
markedly elevated bilirubin |
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liver failure |
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hepatic encephalopathy |
where:
• Mildly and markedly elevated bilirubin not listed in original table.
• The upper limit for the normal reference range of ALT and AST are not given.
Skin
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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pallor |
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redness |
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edema |
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ecchymosis |
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Metabolic Abnormality
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
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metabolic acidosis with base excess to -5 |
metabolic acidosis with base excess -6 to -15 |
metabolic acidosis with base excess -16 to -25 |
metabolic acidosis with base excess more than -26 |
met-Hgb < 10% |
met-Hgb 10-30% |
met-Hgb 31-70% |
met-Hgb > 70% |
blood ethanol < 22 mmol/L |
blood ethanol 22-44 mmol/L |
blood ethanol 45-66 mmol/L |
blood ethanol > 66 mmol/L |
serum salicylate level mild on Done nomogram |
serum salicylate moderate on Done nomogram |
serum salicylate level severe on Done nomogram |
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temperature < 35°C |
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temperature 38-40°C |
temperature 40-41°C |
temperature > 41°C |
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serum potassium 2.5 - 2.9 mmol/L |
serum potassium 2.0-2.4 mmol/L |
serum potassium > 2.4 mmol/L |
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serum potassium 6.1-7.0 mmol/L |
serum potassium 7.1-8.0 mmol/L |
serum potassium > 8.0 mmol/L |
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rhabdomyolysis |
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where:
• In the original table, grade 2 blood ethanol was given as >= 22 mmol/L and grade 3 as 22-66 mmol/L; I have taken 44 as midpoint for range.
Corrosive Effect
1 (mild) |
2 (moderate) |
3 (severe) |
4 (very severe) |
---|---|---|---|
first degree burn (skin) |
second degree burn < 5% BSA infants; < 10% BSA children adults |
second degree burn 5-10% BSA in infant, 10-20% in children and adults |
second degree burn > 10% BSA in infant, > 20% in children and adults |
|
third degree burn < 2% BSA in children or adults |
third degree burns < 2% BSA in infants, 2-10% in children and adults |
third degree burns > 2% BSA in infants, > 10% in children and adults |
oral hyperemia |
oral erosions and/or small ulcers |
deep and wide oral ulcers |
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first degree lesion on endoscopy |
second degree lesion on endoscopy |
third degree lesion on endoscopy |
perforation of esophagus or stomach; necrosis of intestinal walls with loss of normal mucosal aspects |
conjunctival hyperemia |
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corneal erosion |
initial corneal necrosis (reversible ischemia) |
total corneal necrosis (irreversible ischemia) |
ocular perforation |
Interpretation:
• Each patient is classified by the highest level attributed to any one of the 9 parameters.
Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care