Clinical Toxicology最新文献

Introduction: Sotalol is a beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug with unique physical and pharmacologic properties. Unlike most beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs, sotalol is amenable to extracorporeal removal and causes QT interval prolongation and ventricular dysrhythmias. These properties have implications for treating sotalol poisoning.

Patients: Patient 1: A man in his seventh decade of life overdosed on sotalol 9 g and presented with bradycardia, hypotension, QT interval >600 msec and transient ventricular tachycardia. Dopamine, isoprenaline (isoproterenol), and a transvenous pacemaker were used instead of high-dose insulin due to the risk of iatrogenic hypokalemia. Hemodynamics improved, and the pacemaker was removed six days later. Patient 2: A woman in her seventh decade of life on sotalol presented with hypotension in the setting of anuric acute kidney failure. Hypotension worsened after administration of additional sotalol. Hemodialysis was performed for refractory hypotension, followed by improvement in hemodynamics and kidney function.

Discussion: High-dose insulin, a standard therapy in beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug poisoning, causes hypokalemia, which may exacerbate QT interval prolongation and ventricular dysrhythmias in patients with sotalol poisoning. Sotalol is cleared renally and is amenable to extracorporeal removal; hemodialysis may be a useful therapy in patients with cardiotoxicity and concomitant kidney injury.

Conclusions: Chronotropes and overdrive pacing may be preferred therapies for patients with severe sotalol poisoning. If concomitant kidney injury occurs, hemodialysis may be a useful adjunctive therapy.

Introduction: The persistent increase in the use of 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine has led to an increase in emergency department presentations. Our aim was to study the most frequent reasons for admission to the intensive care unit of critically ill patients with 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication and to describe their complications, management and outcome.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all patients with confirmed or self-reported 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication admitted to the intensive care of a tertiary care hospital in Amsterdam between 2010 and 2020.

Results: Seventy-four patients (73% male) were included. Three patients (4%) died. The most common reason for intensive care admission was a threatened airway (n = 35, 47%) due to trismus, which led to respiratory acidosis in 25 patients (71%). Two patients developed aspiration pneumonia, and one patient developed a pneumothorax. Seventeen patients (39%) presented with hyponatraemia, of whom 65% were treated with hypertonic saline, leading to a median serum sodium concentration correction of 13 mmol/L (IQR 7-15 mmol/L) after 8 h. Lastly, eight patients (11%) presented with hyperthermia of whom seven patients received cooling therapy. All displayed secondary complications, such as rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, acute liver injury, acute liver failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Patients with a temperature <39 °C did not develop complications of hyperthermia.

Discussion: Unlike other studies, trismus was the most common reason for intensive care unit admission in our study. Trismus, or its treatment with benzodiazepines, may lead to respiratory acidosis. The median correction of the serum sodium concentration in our population was greater than advised in the European guideline. The occurrence of osmotic demyelination was not reported.

Conclusion: The three most common complications of 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine use necessitating intensive care admission were a threatened airway due to trismus, hyponatraemia and hyperthermia. Severe complications can arise, especially in patients presenting with hyperthermia. Although the majority of patients included in this study made a full recovery, 4% died.

Introduction: This study hypothesized that 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication presents with distinct clinical features and outcomes when combined with other substances of misuse, compared to mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication. This study investigated the clinical presentation of acute mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication, 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication with exclusive co-usage of ethanol, and 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine-co-intoxication with co-usage of other substances with or without ethanol, with a focus on patient sex differences.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Euro-DEN Plus database (2013-2022), which collects data on emergency department presentations with acute drug intoxication from 28 sentinel centres in 18 European countries. Odds ratios for clinical features were calculated for the three study groups with mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication as the reference group. A sub-analysis explored patient sex differences in clinical features.

Results: Among 4,102 presentations, 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine-ethanol intoxication (n = 1,376) was associated with increased odds of agitation (OR: 1.34), drowsiness (OR: 2.30), and vomiting (OR: 1.85) compared to mono-3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication (n = 359). 3,4-Methylenedioxymetamfetamine-co-intoxication (n = 2,367) was associated with higher odds of bradycardia (OR: 3.14), psychosis (OR: 1.91), and coma (OR: 1.72). Mortality rates did not significantly differ across groups. Females reported a lower incidence of chest pain (OR 0.78) while reporting higher rates of vomiting (OR: 1.64), headache (OR: 1.61), and hypotension (OR: 1.89) compared to males.

Discussion: The variation in clinical manifestation of acute 3,4-methylenedioxymetamfetamine intoxication is associated with co-intoxication and patient sex. Co-intoxication with ethanol or other substances was associated with an increased incidence of more severe symptoms, such as agitation and psychosis, necessitating tailored management. These variations suggest the need for physicians to consider the type of co-intoxication and patient sex to optimize treatment strategies. Although co-intoxication affected the clinical trajectory, the mortality risk remains low.

Conclusions: Ethanol co-intoxication, co-intoxication with other substances of misuse, and patient sex were associated with varying clinical presentations in the emergency department, necessitating tailored treatment approaches.

Introduction: Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid derived from the root bark of the West African shrub Tabernanthe iboga. It is not licensed in the United Kingdom but is used by individuals to alleviate drug or alcohol use.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of telephone enquiries involving ibogaine between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2022 to the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service was performed.

Case series: Eleven enquiries relating to seven patients were made to the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service in this period. Five of these patients were male (71%) with the majority in the age category 31-40 years (57%). All patients presented symptomatically. The circumstances for all seven cases were recorded as "recreational abuse." The exact indication was not specified in three cases but in two cases it was being used to alleviate diacetylmorphine (heroin) use and in another two cases it was being used for relief from insomnia. Three sources of ibogaine were reported - in one case it was bought online, in one case by a dealer and in two cases it was bought from a shaman. When reported, the dose ingested ranged from 5g to 34g. Two patients took it in tablet form and four patients ingested the root bark. The time since exposure, when reported, ranged from 16 h to 1 month. Seven patients experienced neurological symptoms and six displayed features of cardiotoxicity. The most frequently reported features included cardiac arrest, hypoxia, torsade de pointes, QT interval prolongation, coma, convulsions, stupor, bradycardia, vomiting and anxiety.

Discussion: Our cases are consistent with other case reports that demon-strate ibogaine can cause severe cardiotoxicity, including ventricular tachyarrhythmias, prolonged QT interval, and tor-sade de pointes; which can lead to loss of cardiac output and arrest.

Conclusions: Individuals using ibogaine in variable doses to self-treat for drug use are at risk of developing severe cardiotoxicity and neurological symptoms. Further studies to quantify dose-response relationship and to further improve knowledge of its pharmacokinetics are required.

Introduction: Unintentional therapeutic errors with bupropion are common. The impact of the timing of the second dose in a double dose exposure on adverse effects is not well studied. This study aims to compare adverse effects between double doses separated by <720 min and ≥720 min.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of unintentional double dose bupropion ingestions in patients reported to a regional poison center between January 2018 and December 2022. Patients were included if the double dose was their own medication, unintentional, and a single substance exposure. Data collected included age, gender, bupropion formulation, prescribed home dose, dosing error details, time between doses, caller site, referral to the emergency department, patient observation at healthcare facilities, clinical effects, and outcome.

Results: Among 663 cases screened, 294 met inclusion criteria. The majority involved extended-release preparations (69.0%). Seventy-four were observed in a healthcare facility and monitored for 24 h from initial dose. The incidence of seizures was 5.3%, including one case not observed for a full 24 h. There was no significant difference in the incidence of seizures (2.7% versus 7.7%), tachycardia (27.0% versus 30.8%), hypertension (18.9% versus 38.5%) other signs/symptoms (27.0% versus 23.1%), or any signs/symptoms (48.6% versus 61.5%) between double doses of extended release bupropion separated by <720 min and those separated by ≥720 min, respectively.

Discussion: In patients with double dose exposures to extended-release bupropion, it does not appear that the timing of the second dose can be used to risk-stratify patients. Our data are limited by sample size.

Conclusion: In this study, the time between double doses of bupropion did not affect the incidence of seizure, tachycardia, hypertension, other signs/symptoms, or any signs/symptoms. Larger, prospective studies investigating this difference would strengthen our understanding and management of these patients.

Introduction: Vigabatrin, an anticonvulsant drug used for refractory epilepsy and as first-line treatment for infantile epileptic spasms syndrome, can rarely cause brain abnormalities detectable on magnetic resonance imaging. These complications, potentially related to dose, young age, and concomitant high doses of adrenocorticotropic hormone and/or prednisolone, can lead to neurological symptoms. Upon withdrawal or dose reduction, symptoms and imaging changes tend to resolve.

Case summary: A 7-month-old infant diagnosed with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome started treatment with vigabatrin and prednisolone. However, spasms recurred, prompting an increase in the dose of vigabatrin and the addition of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which reduced the frequency of spasms. The patient later developed encephalopathy and upper limb tremors.

Images: Magnetic resonance imaging revealed symmetrical hyperintense lesions with concomitant restricted diffusion localized in the thalami, basal ganglia, brainstem, and cerebellar dentate nuclei.

Conclusion: We report an infant with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome treated with vigabatrin who developed abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging. There is currently no treatment other than drug withdrawal or reduction.

Introduction: In Germany, human exposures to animals are rare in comparison to those caused by drugs, chemicals, and plants. We aimed to characterize human exposures to animals and exotic pets, including the age group and sex of the involved person, symptom severity, management, the identity of the individual calling the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt, and the place of exposure.

Methods: All human exposures involving animals and exotic pets referred to the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt from 2013 to 2022 were retrospectively analysed.

Results: There were 1,799 human exposures to animals between 2013 and 2022, of which 62.8% were symptomatic. Children (n = 655) were involved in 36.4% of cases. The proportion of males (n = 892, 49.6%) exposed to animals was higher than that of females. Exposures to animals increased from 132 in 2013 to 221 in 2022. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 158 exposures to exotic pets, mainly aquatic species (n = 89), of which 63.9% were symptomatic. There were between seven to 22 human exposures to exotic pets per year (mean 15.8 per year). Severe symptoms occurred after exposures to Vipera berus (n = 4) and Crotalus spp. (n = 2). Severe anaphylaxis was observed after stings of Vespa crabro (n = 2), Vespula/Dolichovespula (n = 1), and Insecta spp. unknown (n = 1). A bite of Cheiracanthium spp. (n = 1) resulted in secondary infection. No fatality occurred.

Discussion: The low proportion (0.7%) of human exposures to animals (n = 1,799) compared to all human exposures in our study (n = 259,679) can be explained by the lack of highly venomous animals in Germany.

Conclusions: Exposures to animals reported to the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt slightly increased from 2013 to 2022, while exposures to exotic pets (mostly aquatic species) stayed at a low level.