Case series / case reportindependent cross-checkabstract only checked★ key study I-VEG-10 in-depth review
Bitter squash poisoning in France
Poisoning by non-edible squash: retrospective series of 353 patients from French Poison Control Centers.
Overview
Le Roux G et al.. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2018 · PMID 29323540 · DOI 10.1080/15563650.2018.1424891
353 cases, usually mild, no deaths; discard bitter squash.
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate
Plain-language summary
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Describe squash poisoning
- How was the study done?
Case series
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
353
- What was actually found?
Usually benign
- How large was the observed effect?
4% moderate
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Discard bitter squash.
- What are the study's limitations?
Reporting
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Bitter-only
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Cannot show normal squash harmful.
Scientific in-depth review
1. Full reference
- Authors
- Le Roux G et al.
- Journal
- Clin Toxicol (Phila)
- Year
- 2018
- Identifier
- PMID 29323540 DOI 10.1080/15563650.2018.1424891
- Verification
- verified – PubMed efetch 2026-10-25
- Retracted
- no
- Corrections
- none
- Extent checked
- abstract only
- Conflicts of interest and funding
not stated in abstract
2. Research question
Characterise poisoning by non-edible (bitter) squash.
3. Study design and population
- Study design
- Case series / case report – Retrospective poison-centre case series
- Population
Exposures reported to French PCCs
- Country
France
- Period
2012-2016
- Sample size
353
- Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Reported exposures
4. Methods and endpoints
- Exposure / intervention
Bitter squash
- Comparator
None
- Endpoints
Severity (PSS)
- Statistical methods
Descriptive
5. Actual results
- Results
95.5% dietary; 55.8% store-bought, 25.5% garden; 57.8% symptomatic (diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain); no deaths or severe cases; 4.0% moderate; 53.8% minor; 42.2% none.
- Absolute risks
not reported
- Authors' conclusion
Exposure to non-edible squash is frequent but usually benign; dispose of bitter squash.
6. Strengths
- Large series
7. Weaknesses
- Passive reporting
8. Risk of bias
- Orienting tool
- none applicable
- Type of assessment
- simplified assessment (abstract only)
- Full formal assessment
- no
- Overall risk of bias
- some concerns
- Rationale
Reporting bias.
9. Assessment of the statistical interpretation
Descriptive.
10. Relevance to the specific claim
Supports and relativises C-VEG-09.
11. Independent contrary findings
Itself (benign course).
12. Transferability to Germany and Europe
High.
13. Overall methodological judgement
Key context.
| Multidimensional assessment | |
|---|---|
| Authenticity of the source | verified |
| Methodological quality | moderate |
| Risk of bias | some concerns |
| Precision of results | not applicable |
| Directness | direct |
| Reproducibility | replicated |
| Consistency with the overall evidence | consistent |
| Regional transferability | high |
| Adequacy of the interpretation (by the archive) | not applicable |
14. Open questions
None.