Role of toxicological determinations of amphetamines and cannabinoids in hair of adolescent patients in cardiologic diagnostic management

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Kłys ◽  
Lesław Szydłowski ◽  
Sebastian Rojek

AbstractBackgroundParental suspicions that the child may possibly take narcotics may be substantiated by hair analysis, which may not only identify the narcotic abuse profile, but also define the minimum period of narcotic usage.ObjectiveA toxicological hair analysis aiming at detecting the presence of amphetamines and cannabinoids in children with cardiac complaints of unclear aetiology, with a view of establishing a diagnosis.Material and methodThe authors analysed hair samples collected from the occipital region of three adolescent patients for the presence of substances of abuse – amphetamines and cannabinoids. Hair strands were subjected to segmentation and chemical processing and subsequently analysed by liquid chromatography–mass detection method.ResultsIndicating the presence of amphetamines and cannabinoids in hair samples, the toxicological analysis allowed for explaining cardiac complaints and personality changes in adolescent patients, with the said changes being associated with addiction to the above xenobiotics extending over some period.

Author(s):  
Brenda E. Lambert ◽  
Ernest C. Hammond

The purpose of this study was to examine the external structure of four human hair shaft samples with the scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and to obtain information regarding the chemical composition of hair by using the attached x ray microanalysis unit.The hair samples were obtained from two female subjects. Sample A was taken from a black female and had not undergone any type of chemical processing. Sample B, C, D were taken from a white female, and were natural, processed, and unpigmented, i.e. “gray”, respectively. Sample C had been bleached, tinted, and chemically altered using a permanent wave technique.


Author(s):  
Denisse Vega Ocasio ◽  
Anna M. Stewart-Ibarra ◽  
Rachel Sippy ◽  
Christina Li ◽  
Kaitlyn McCue ◽  
...  

Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits arboviral diseases such as dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), and Zika viruses (ZIKV), is present in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Individuals at risk of mosquito-borne disease (MBD) in the urban tropics face daily challenges linked to their socio-environment conditions, such as poor infrastructure, poverty, crowding, and limited access to adequate healthcare. These daily demands induce chronic stress events and dysregulated immune responses. We sought to investigate the role of socio-ecologic risk factors in distress symptoms and their impact on biological responses to MBD in Machala, Ecuador. Between 2017 and 2019, individuals (≥ 18 years) with suspected arbovirus illness (DENV, ZIKV, and CHIKV) from sentinel clinics were enrolled (index cases, N = 28). Cluster investigations of the index case households and people from four houses within a 200-m radius of index home (associate cases, N = 144) were conducted (total N = 172). Hair samples were collected to measure hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a stress biomarker. Blood samples were collected to measure serum cytokines concentrations of IL-10, IL-8, TNF-α, and TGF-β. Univariate analyses were used to determine the association of socio-health metrics related to perceived stress scores (PSS), HCC, and immune responses. We found that housing conditions influence PSS and HCC levels in individuals at risk of MBD. Inflammatory cytokine distribution was associated with the restorative phase of immune responses in individuals with low-moderate HCC. These data suggest that cortisol may dampen pro-inflammatory responses and influence activation of the restorative phase of immune responses to arboviral infections.


2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph T. Poterucha ◽  
Sudhakar K. Venkatesh ◽  
Jennifer L. Novak ◽  
Frank Cetta

Hepatic dysfunction after the Fontan surgical palliation runs an indolent course. Moreover, there is no standard method of evaluating hepatic dysfunction. Magnetic resonance elastography has emerged as an advanced screening tool for preclinical detection of hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. We describe the case of a patient who had undergone Fontan palliation, and then developed liver nodules and elevated tumor markers 18 years later. Her case illustrates the challenges in diagnostic management of hepatic dysfunction and the potential role of magnetic resonance elastography in monitoring these patients.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 570
Author(s):  
Innocent Mupunga ◽  
Ilse Janse van Rensburg ◽  
Nokuthula Luthuli ◽  
Ovokeroye A. Abafe ◽  
Leshweni J. Shai ◽  
...  

Analysis of body fluids and tissues of aflatoxin exposed individuals for the presence of aflatoxins and aflatoxin metabolites has emerged as a reliable indicator of exposure and metabolism of aflatoxins. However, current aflatoxin biomarkers are not appropriate for investigating the long-term effects of aflatoxin exposure. In this explorative study, we investigated the analysis of hair as a complementary or alternative matrix for the assessment of biomarkers of long-term aflatoxin exposure. Three groups of guinea pigs were orally dosed with 5 ugkg−1bw−1, 50 ugkg−1bw−1, and 100 ugkg−1bw−1 of AFB1. Urine and hair samples were collected on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90 and analysed for AFB1 and AFM1 using UHPLC-MS/MS. AFB1 and AFM1 were detected in 75% and 13.6%, respectively, of the day 1 to day 7 urine samples. AFB1 was detected in hair samples collected from day 3 up to day 60. This is the first report to confirm the deposition of AFB1 in the hair of experimental animals. These findings indicate that hair analysis has the potential to provide an accurate long-term historical record of aflatoxin exposure with potentially important implications for the field of aflatoxin biomarkers.


2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 898-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia van Engeland ◽  
Nico Karssemeijer

Author(s):  
Pieter MM De Kesel ◽  
Willy E Lambert ◽  
Christophe P Stove
Keyword(s):  

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 543-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clementine Scholz ◽  
Boris B Quednow ◽  
Marcus Herdener ◽  
Thomas Kraemer ◽  
Markus R Baumgartner

Abstract Given that external contamination must be considered in hair analysis, there is still a demand for reliable tools to differentiate between incorporation of drugs into the hair as a result of drug consumption and of the hair shaft by external contamination. With the aim of establishing alternative discrimination parameters, some of the hydroxy metabolites of cocaine i.e., para- and meta-hydroxycocaine and para- and meta-hydroxybenzoylecgonine were measured together with cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene, and norcocaine in five seized street cocaine samples and in hair samples from different cohorts: cohort 1 (in vivo external contamination study, n = 28), cohort 2 (individuals with self-reported cocaine use, n = 92), and cohort 3 (individuals with suspected cocaine use or contamination, n = 198). Statistical evaluation of the data of cohort 1 and 2 using ROC curves yielded metabolic ratios indicating cocaine use. Based on these results, a decision workflow was established for the discrimination between cocaine use and external contamination. The power of this approach was finally statistically validated across the different cohorts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 277-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Islam Amine Larabi ◽  
Marie Martin ◽  
Nicolas Fabresse ◽  
Isabelle Etting ◽  
Yve Edel ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose To demonstrate the usefulness of hair testing to determine exposure pattern to fentanyls. Methods A 43-year-old male was found unconscious with respiratory depression 15 min after snorting 3 mg of a powder labeled as butyrylfentanyl. He was discharged from hospital within 2 days without blood or urine testing. Two locks of hair were sampled 1 month (M1 A: 0–2 cm (overdose time frame); B: 2–4 cm; C: 4–6 cm) and 1 year (Y1: A: 0–2 cm; B: 2–4 cm) later to monitor his exposure to drugs of abuse by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry after liquid-liquid extraction. Results Hair analysis at M1 showed a repetitive exposure to 3-fluorofentanyl (A/B/C: 150/80/60 pg/mg) with higher concentration in segment A reflecting the overdose period. The non-detection of butyrylfentanyl was consistent with the analysis of the recovered powder identified as 3-fluorofentanyl. Furanylfentanyl (40/20/15 pg/mg) and fentanyl (37/25/3 pg/mg) were also detected in hair. The second hair analysis at Y1 showed the use of three new fentanyls, with probably repetitive exposures to methoxyacetylfentanyl (A/B: 500/600 pg/mg), and single or few exposures to carfentanil (2.5/3 pg/mg) and acetyl fentanyl (1/1 pg/mg). A decreasing exposure to 3-fluorofentanyl (25/80 pg/mg), and increasing consumption of furanylfentanyl (310/500 pg/mg) and fentanyl (620/760 pg/mg) were also observed despite methadone treatment initiation. The patient claimed not consuming three out of the six detected fentanyls. Conclusions We report single or repetitive exposure to several fentanyls using hair testing. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of 3-fluorofentanyl and methoxyacetylfentanyl in hair samples collected from an authentic abuser.


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