Trends and clinical features of intentional and accidental adult foreign body ingestions in the United States, 2000 to 2017

Abstract

Foreign body ingestions (FoBIs) are a common cause for medical attention. However, trends and patterns of adult FoBIs as well as associations with clinical comorbidities and behavioral attributes have not been elucidated beyond single institutional experiences. We utilized survey data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System to examine fundamental characteristics of adult FoBIs involving consumer products between 2000 and 2017 across the United States. Data regarding the circumstances of FoBIs were abstracted from narrative data. Relationships among time, intent, demographics, and behavioral attributes were assessed using regression analyses, accounting for survey structure. Adult FoBIs have increased in incidence over the past 2 decades from 3 to 5.3 per 100,000 persons. Examination of consumer products revealed that jewelry (15.4%), nails (7.2%), and toothpicks (6.9%) were the most commonly ingested products. The most common products ingested varied over time, and the number of unique consumer product categories ingested increased from 103 to 143 in the time period studied. Intentional ingestions accounted for 14% of adult FoBIs and frequently involved plastic bagging (13.6%), batteries (13%), nails (10.1%), and desk supplies (6.8%). Adjusted regression analyses demonstrated that compared with accidental FoBIs, intentional FoBIs have increased over time. Intentional FoBIs were more frequently associated with younger age, substance abuse, police custody, and mental and cognitive illnesses relative to accidental FoBIs. Our results indicate that adult FoBIs are an increasing burden of disease in the United States with social, psychiatric, and behavioral contributors to this trend.