Question Of The Day

Typically, we think of seizures related to a hydrazine exposure because of interference in pyridoxal-5-phosphate dependent GABA synthesis. In a systematic review of the literature on acute hydrazine propellant exposure what other organ systems are targets of hydrazine toxicity? Dermal irritation and caustic injury, pulmonary…

What intervention was associated with less severe myotoxicity in Australian patients with snake envenomation? Antivenom given before the development of elevated creatine kinase (CK). A retrospective analysis of 1638 patients with snake envenomation in Australia identified 148 (16%) with myotoxicity (CK > 1000 IU/L). Patients…

Colchicine toxicity is reported after inadvertent ingestion of Colchicum autumnale (autumn crocus) mistaken for which plant? Allium ursinum (wild garlic). A retrospective review of cases treated in a toxicology unit identified 16 patients with these ingestions. A total of 15 patients developed evidence of bone…

What type of topical salicylate products are associated with the most hospitalizations after accidental ingestions in children? Liquid preparations. A retrospective analysis of cases reported to a statewide poison control system from 2003-2018 identified 599 cases with predominantly no or minor symptoms. Liquid preparations were…

What clinical concern was recently reported with the use of Kedaling tablets? Drug-induced liver injury. Kedaling tablets are an extract of Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang (YHS) used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. A recent report of use for coronary artery disease described elevated hepatic transaminases which…

What epidemiologic trends were seen in methamphetamine exposures reported to US poison centers from 2000-2019? Rates of methamphetamine exposures per 100,000 US population increased between 2000-2005 (0.6 to 1.1), decreased from 2005-2007 (1.1 to 0.4), then increased again from 2007-2019 (0.4 to 2.6). The decrease…

What were the reported rates of apnea following unintentional methadone or buprenorphine exposures? 22% of methadone exposures and 0% of buprenorphine exposures. An observational study of patients evaluated in a tertiary hospital for poisoned children described 120 patients with unintentional methadone (n=90) or buprenorphine (n=30)…

What was the primary exposure reason for calls to US poison centers involving cannabis in women aged 50 or older? Therapeutic errors/adverse reactions. A retrospective study of NPDS data from 2009-2019 identified 3633 exposures in patients aged 50 or older with cannabis as the primary…

When did cardiac arrest or sudden unexpected deaths occur following intramuscular injection of long-acting paliperidone palmitate? 10-14 days after injection of the one-month formulation or 11-24 days after injection of the three-month formulation. A review of 473 adverse drug reactions reported to the French pharmacovigilance…

What changes were identified in call volumes to French poison control centers during the COVID-19 pandemic? Overall, a 5.6% increase in exposure calls with 13.6% increase in calls from the public and a 7.5% decrease in calls from health professionals. Call volumes for March/April of…