ArticleArchives of disease in childhood2025
Glycerol intoxication syndrome in young children, following the consumption of slush ice drinks.
Article in Archives of disease in childhood, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Age-Appropriateness of Oral Formulations Authorized for Pediatrics.Pharmaceutical research · 2026Article
- Safety of acute exposure to the food additive glycerol (E 422) from beverages.EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority · 2026Article
- Immunology of RNA-based vaccines: The critical interplay between inflammation and expression.Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy · 2025Review
- Un-personalized medicine: the challenges of vaccines as a single medicine for a whole population.Clinical and experimental immunology · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
20 authors.
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Abstract
introductionSlush ice drinks are commonly available refreshments, aimed at children and young people. Glycerol is used to maintain the slush effect in the absence of a high sugar content.
objectiveTo describe a series of children who became acutely unwell shortly after consuming a slush ice drink; their presentation mimics specific inherited metabolic diseases (IMDs).
methodsA retrospective case review of 21 children who presented to centres across the UK and Ireland from 2009 through 2024 was carried out.
resultsAlmost all of the children (93%) became unwell within 60 min of slush ice drink consumption. None had any relevant past medical history. The median age at presentation was 3 years 6 months (range 2 years - 6 years 9 months). Presenting features include acute decrease in consciousness (94%), hypoglycaemia (95%), metabolic (lactic) acidosis (94%), pseudohypertriglyceridaemia (89%) and hypokalaemia (75%). Glyceroluria was present in all acute urine organic acid samples. No underlying IMD was found in the 14 patients who underwent further enzymatic or genetic testing. The majority (95%) subsequently avoided slush ice drinks and did not have reoccurrence.
conclusionConsumption of slush ice drinks containing glycerol may cause a clinical syndrome of glycerol intoxication in young children, characterised by decreased consciousness, hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis, pseudohypertriglyceridaemia and hypokalaemia. This mimics inherited disorders of gluconeogenesis and glycerol metabolism. Clinicians and parents should be alert to the phenomenon, and public health bodies should ensure clear messaging regarding the fact that younger children, especially those under 8 years of age, should avoid slush ice drinks containing glycerol.
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