Presenter Profile
Timothy R. Thompson, BA
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
thompsont6837@acom.edu
Ross Thompson is a 3rd year medical student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. He serves as the Region II Trustee on the National Student Osteopathic Medical Association. He is the recipient of the James M. Lally, DO, OPAC Student Engagement Scholarship in recognition of his leadership and advocacy work. He lives in Dothan, Alabama, with his wife, dog, and two cats; their favorite activity is going all out on Halloween each year making the most outrageous costumes and attempting to win nearby competitions.
Presentations
Pediatric Exposures Associated with Caffeine Energy Products Reported to United States Poison Centers, 2011-2023
Timothy R. Thompson, BA
Hannah L. Hays, MD
Sandhya Kistamgari, MPH
Natalie I. Rine, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
Motao Zhu, MD, MS, PhD
Henry Xiang, PhD, MD, MPH, MBA
Gary A. Smith, MD, DrPH
Children under six years represent the highest percentage of caffeine-related exposures reported to US poison centers (PCs), and youth under 20 years account for more than two-thirds of exposures. Previous studies on this topic are limited to data before 2015 and do not exclusively focus on the pediatric population, despite a growing popularity of these products among youth. This study investigated the characteristics and trends of pediatric exposures to caffeine energy products reported to US PCs.
This is an observational study of single-substance exposures involving caffeine energy products among individuals <20 years old reported to US PCs from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2023. Cases were identified using the National Poison Data System generic codes for caffeine and caffeine-containing energy drinks. Exposures involving coffee, tea, and caffeinated conventional soft drinks were not included because these are not considered energy products. Analyses included descriptive statistics, population-based rates, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
There were 32,482 caffeine energy product exposures reported to US PCs, representing a 17.3% increase in the exposure rate during 2011-2023. Most exposures were among <6-year-olds (69.6%), males (56.7%), and involved liquid formulations (57.5%). Most (80.7%) were not treated in a healthcare facility; however, 1.6% were medically admitted. Teenagers 13-19 years old were more likely to be admitted (OR=12.74, 95% CI: 10.40-15.60) or have a serious medical outcome (OR=18.83, 95% CI: 16.88-21.01) than children <13 years old. Solid energy product formulations were more likely to be associated with a serious medical outcome (OR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.81-2.17) or medical admission (OR=5.23, 95% CI: 4.31-6.36) than other types of formulations. During the study period, exposure rates increased for liquid (34.5%) and powder/granules (632.9%) product formulations but decreased for solids (-51.5%). Among liquid formulation subcategories, the exposure rate for beverages increased by 46.5% and that for shots decreased by 86.1%.
Although most pediatric exposures to caffeine energy products reported to US PCs were associated with no or minimal clinical effects, serious medical outcomes and medical admissions occurred. The product formulations that drove the 17% increase in the exposure rate changed during the study period. Opportunities exist to reduce the adverse effects of caffeine energy products among the pediatric population.
1. Understand the major trends in single-substance exposures involving caffeine energy products in the <20 years old population.
2. Compare product types associated with exposures in the <6 years old, 6-12 years old, and 13-19 years old populations.
3. Differentiate product types associated with more serious medical outcomes and medical admissions.