Document Detail


Forensic toxicology findings in deaths involving gamma-hydroxybutyrate.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19048269     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Concentrations of the illicit drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) were determined in femoral venous blood and urine obtained at autopsy in a series of GHB-related deaths (N = 49). The analysis of GHB was done by gas chromatography after conversion to gamma-butyrolactone and quantitation of the latter with a flame ionization detector. The cutoff concentration of GHB in femoral blood or urine for reporting positive results was 30 mg/L. The deceased were mainly young men (86%) aged 26.5 +/- 7.2 years (mean +/- SD), and the women (14%) were about 5 years younger at 21.4 +/- 5.0 years. The mean, median, and highest concentrations of GHB in femoral blood (N = 37) were 294, 190, and 2,200 mg/L, respectively. The mean urine-to-blood ratio of GHB was 8.8, and the median was 5.2 (N = 28). In 12 cases, the concentrations of GHB in blood were negative (<30 mg/L) when the urine contained 350 mg/L on average (range 31-1,100 mg/L). Considerable poly-drug use was evident in these GHB-related deaths: ethanol (18 cases), amphetamine (12 cases), and various prescription medications (benzodizepines, opiates, and antidepressants) in other cases. Interpreting the concentrations of GHB in postmortem blood is complicated because of concomitant use of other psychoactive substances, variable degree of tolerance to centrally acting drugs, and the lack of reliable information about survival time after use of the drug.
Authors:
Fredrik C Kugelberg; Anita Holmgren; Arne Eklund; Alan Wayne Jones
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2008-12-02
Journal Detail:
Title:  International journal of legal medicine     Volume:  124     ISSN:  1437-1596     ISO Abbreviation:  Int. J. Legal Med.     Publication Date:  2010 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-12-18     Completed Date:  2010-03-23     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9101456     Medline TA:  Int J Legal Med     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Link?ping, Sweden.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Accidents, Traffic / mortality
Adult
Amphetamine / blood
Analgesics, Opioid / blood
Automobile Driving / legislation & jurisprudence
Benzodiazepines / blood
Central Nervous System Depressants / blood*,  poisoning,  urine*
Chromatography, Gas
Codeine / blood
Ethanol / blood
Female
Forensic Toxicology
Homicide
Humans
Male
Morphine / blood
Morphine Derivatives / blood
Sodium Oxybate / blood*,  poisoning,  urine*
Street Drugs / blood
Suicide
Sweden
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Analgesics, Opioid; 0/Central Nervous System Depressants; 0/Morphine Derivatives; 0/Street Drugs; 12794-10-4/Benzodiazepines; 2784-73-8/6-O-monoacetylmorphine; 300-62-9/Amphetamine; 502-85-2/Sodium Oxybate; 57-27-2/Morphine; 64-17-5/Ethanol; 76-57-3/Codeine

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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