Article
Medicine, Legal
Dylan Mantinieks, Melanie Archer, Jennifer Schumann, Olaf H. Drummer, Dimitri Gerostamoulos
Summary: This retrospective observational study aimed to determine the prevalence and contribution of methylamphetamine (MA) toxicity to death in the absence of other factors. The study revealed that deaths due to MA toxicity without other factors were rare despite the greater availability of crystal MA in the Australian community. The study also highlighted the interpretative challenges of MA blood concentrations and the continuing harms of this drug in Australia.
FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Ahmed Al-Asmari
Summary: The study revealed a more than 500% increase in deaths involving methamphetamine in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 2016 and 2018. The majority of the deceased were males, and most deaths were due to the combined toxicity of methamphetamine and other drugs.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Rajeev Jain, Noorfatimah Yahaya, Ahmad Husaini Mohamed, Abuzar Kabir, Lalit Pratap Chandrawanshi, Mohamed AbdElrahman, Mohammed M. Ghoneim, Shankar M. Bakkannavar
Summary: The analysis of drugs and toxicants in postmortem samples is complex, but green sample preparation techniques provide efficient and eco-friendly alternatives. This review discusses various green sample preparation approaches and highlights future directions in postmortem toxicology.
TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Lourdes Button, Andrew S. Williams, Christina Lamparter, Karen L. Woodall
Summary: The opioid crisis has become a significant public health issue in North America since the 1990s, with an increasing number of opioid-related deaths each year. Limited information is available on opioid-related deaths in the prison population, thus, a retrospective study was conducted to investigate drug-related deaths in correctional facilities and penitentiaries in Ontario, Canada. The study found a 375% increase in drug-related fatalities in the past 11 years, with fentanyl being the most frequently detected drug. The emergence of fentanyl-related analogues in the prison population was also observed. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of the opioid crisis and the use of fentanyl in this vulnerable population.
FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Moritz Losacker, Joerg Roehrich, Cornelius Hess
Summary: This study found that there were either no differences or only minor differences in plasma protein binding for enantiomers of amphetamine-type stimulants, indicating that the different pharmacological properties of these stimulant enantiomers cannot be explained solely by differences in plasma protein binding.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Pathology
Fredrik Tamsen, Irina Alafuzoff
Summary: The objective of this study was to assess who is merited an autopsy in Sweden. Data from the Swedish cause of death (COD) registry over a period of 20 years was analyzed to identify the variables associated with the performance of a clinical or forensic autopsy (CA/FA). The study found that being male, born in the Nordic region, dying in a private residence, and unnatural death were most strongly associated with the performance of CA/FA. Conversely, being female, dying from dementia, dying at a nursing home, being born outside of Europe, or living in a small city or rural area seldom led to the performance of CA/FA.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Gerd Jakobsson, Ronja Larsson, Lucia Pelle, Robert Kronstrand, Henrik Green
Summary: This study investigates the impact of CYP2D6 phenotype on oxycodone concentrations in postmortem cases, finding that poor and intermediate metabolizers have higher concentrations compared to extensive and ultra-rapid metabolizers. The distribution of CYP2D6 phenotypes was similar among different causes of death, indicating no overrepresentation of a particular phenotype in any cause of death group. Additionally, the ratio of oxymorphone to oxycodone is dependent on CYP2D6 activity, with a lower ratio indicating acute intake and potentially serving as a sensitive marker for distinguishing oxycodone intoxications from other causes of death.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS
(2021)
Review
Medicine, Legal
D. Andelhofs, W. Van Den Bogaert, B. Lepla, K. Croes, W. Van de Voorde
Summary: Sodium nitrite is commonly used as a preservative in the food industry but can cause methemoglobinemia, hypotension, and arrhythmias when ingested. There has been an increasing trend in its use as a suicide agent, but it remains rare in Belgium. Forensic pathologists need to be aware of this trend and the postmortem changes related to sodium nitrite ingestion to effectively identify and determine the cause of death in such cases.
FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Giuseppe Davide Albano, Ginevra Malta, Corinne La Spina, Arianna Rifiorito, Valeria Provenzano, Valentina Triolo, Fabio Vaiano, Elisabetta Bertol, Stefania Zerbo, Antonina Argo
Summary: The use of illicit and non-illicit substances in suicides is common, and toxicological data can help understand the mechanism behind deaths. This systematic review found significant differences in substance use between low-income and Western countries, with rural areas and Asian countries primarily using pesticides as poison, while illicit drugs and medically prescribed drugs being the leading cause of self-poisoning suicides in Western countries. Future research should focus on the correlation between social, medical, and demographic characteristics and autopsy findings to highlight risk factors and implement tailored prevention programs globally.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aleksandra R. Antovic, Radovan Karadzic, Aleksandar M. Veselinovic
Summary: The study investigated the effectiveness of QSAR methodology in estimating drug redistribution during the post-mortem period, and found that the developed QSAR model showed considerable applicability for PMR process and illustrated the contribution of molecular fragments in this process.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aurelia Collados-Ros, Carmen Torres-Sanchez, Maria Dolores Perez-Carceles, Aurelio Luna, Isabel Legaz
Summary: Suicide affects people from all sociodemographic levels, age groups, and populations worldwide. This study analyzed the types and combinations of toxins found in fatal suicide victims with different suicide mechanisms. It found that drug abuse was most commonly associated with male suicides, while jumping from a height was more common among females. Toxicological analysis is crucial for understanding consumption patterns and establishing strategies to prevent suicide.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Moritz Losacker, Siegfried Zoerntlein, Bernd Schwarze, Svenja Staudt, Joerg Roehrich, Cornelius Hess
Summary: The study focused on analyzing the chiral composition of amphetamine, methamphetamine, and MDMA, revealing differences in pharmacological effects and metabolism among their enantiomers. While methamphetamine samples displayed diverse enantiomeric compositions, with most being (S)-methamphetamine, amphetamine and MDMA were found to be primarily racemic mixtures. Regular monitoring of the chiral composition of these substances is recommended.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Carl Soederberg, Llia Rodushkin, Anna Johansson, Fredrik C. C. Kugelberg
Summary: This study provides reference concentrations of elemental intoxications in postmortem cases and demonstrates the impact of sample contamination and storage time on the concentrations of elements in blood and urine. It fills a gap between antemortem population studies and small case series or reports of elemental intoxications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LEGAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Charlotte U. Andersen, Hafsa Ahmed, Mathias Raedkjaer, Jorgen B. Hasselstrom, Maiken K. Larsen
Summary: This study reviewed medication-related deaths in Danish persons not using illicit narcotic drugs (PNUIDs) and found that opioids and psychotropic medications, particularly morphine, tramadol, and quetiapine, were the most common causes of death.
BASIC & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Legal
Lilli Stephenson, Corinna Van Den Heuvel, Roger W. Byard
Summary: Accurate estimates of population drug use and understanding the factors that influence substance choice are crucial for developing effective prevention strategies and campaigns. This review provides an overview of the socioeconomic and psychosocial factors that influence substance use patterns in Australia. Understanding the reasons for geographic variability in illicit drug use helps interpret substance-related behavior and guide intervention efforts.
FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY
(2023)