Clinical toxicology : the official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists
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Clin Toxicol (Phila) · Apr 2014
Observational StudyExotic snake bites in the Czech Republic--Epidemiological and clinical aspects during 15-year period (1999-2013).
Only one natural venomous snake-the adder viper-lives in the central European region and its bite is usually associated only with mild course of envenoming. Cases of envenoming caused by exotic snakes among their breeders are clinically more important. ⋯ Bites caused by exotic snakes resulted in serious and life-threatening envenomings in some patients. Early transfer to the Center, antivenom administration, and support of failing organ functions contributed to favorable outcome of victims.
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Clin Toxicol (Phila) · Apr 2014
Observational StudyCastor bean seed ingestions: a state-wide poison control system's experience.
Ingestions of the seed of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) carries the risk of toxicity from ricin, a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. ⋯ In this retrospective review, gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common symptoms described after reported exposures to castor bean seeds. These exposures were not associated with serious morbidity, mortality, or delayed symptoms.
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Clin Toxicol (Phila) · Apr 2014
Case ReportsProlonged altered mental status and bradycardia following pediatric donepezil ingestion.
Donepezil is a centrally-acting, reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that is used in the treatment of Alzheimer disease. Altered mental status, nausea, vomiting, and bradycardia have been reported in therapeutic and supratherapeutic ingestions of donepezil, though pediatric exposures have not been well-described. We report a case of prolonged altered mental status and recurrent bradycardia in a child with a single-pill ingestion of donepezil. ⋯ Even after a single-tablet ingestion, donepezil may cause prolonged altered mental status and bradycardia in young children.
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Clin Toxicol (Phila) · Mar 2014
Trend analysis of anonymised pooled urine from portable street urinals in central London identifies variation in the use of novel psychoactive substances.
There is increasing interest in the analysis of waste water at sewage treatment plants to monitor recreational drug use. This technique is limited for novel psychoactive substances (NPS) due to limited knowledge on their human and bacterial metabolism and stability in waste water. Small studies have reported the detection of NPS using pooled anonymous urine samples, which eliminates some of these potential confounders. ⋯ This study demonstrates that analysis of anonymous pooled urine samples from stand-alone urinals can be used to detect and monitor trends in the use of classical recreational drugs and NPS in a large city centre over time. This technique has the potential to be a novel key indicator alongside other existing indicators to provide a more robust picture of the use of recreational drugs including NPS.