In a prospective cohort study investigating the effect of xylazine in ED patients with suspected illicit opioid overdose, were clinical outcomes more or less severe in those testing testing positive for xylazine + illicit opioids vs. illicit opioids alone?
Less severe. The primary outcome of cardiac arrest requiring CPR occurred more frequently at 14.3% in the xylazine-absent group vs 4.4% in the xylazine-present group (p-value 0.013). The secondary outcome of coma within 4 hours of ED presentation also occurred more often in the xylazine-absent group at 38% vs 27%, but was not statistically significant (p-value 0.063).
Contributed by Abby Rose Broomfield, PharmD Candidate, LECOM School of Pharmacy on behalf of the Florida Poison Information Center Network