Differences in Drug Poisonings Among Those Who Identify as Transgender Compared to Cisgender: An Analysis of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Core Registry, United States 2017-2021.

PURPOSE: In this manuscript, the abbreviation TG is defined as persons who identify as transgender, GNC is defined as persons who identify as gender nonconforming, and CG is defined as persons who identify as cisgender. TG and GNC (e.g., nonbinary), are those whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth do not align, as opposed to CG. This study describes drug poisonings among TG, GNC, and CG captured in the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Core Registry during 2017-2021. METHODS: Authors conducted a secondary data analysis of medical toxicology physician consultations involving intentional exposures (i.e., use with the knowledge of the exposed person) within the ToxIC Core Registry from 2017 through 2021. Demographic characteristics, exposure intent, and reported drug classes are reported by gender identity and sex assigned at birth. FINDINGS: From a total of 15,800 medical toxicology consultations, 213 (1.3%) involved both TG (n = 187, 1.2%) and GNC (n = 26, 0.2%), and 15,587 (98.7%) involved CG. Among TG, 128 (68.8%) were transgender men, 58 (31.2%) transgender women. Sixty-two percent of TG/GNC (n = 132) and 34.8% of CG (n = 5,428) were aged ≤18 years. Reported intent for exposure (i.e., self-harm and misuse/harmful use) differed proportionally across both sexes assigned at birth and gender identity among transgender men and cisgender men. IMPLICATIONS: In the ToxIC Core Registry, the consultations varied proportionally by age group across TG/GNC and CG, with more than half of TG/GNC aged ≤18 years. The proportion of consultations also varied by intent across TG/GNC and CG. Further research to delineate differences between TG/GNC and CG could increase knowledge in prevention, assessment, and treatment of drug poisonings in this population.

Mass Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at a Daycare: A Public Health Lesson.

INTRODUCTION: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a leading cause of preventable toxicity-related deaths in the United States. We describe a case series of 16 individuals who were exposed to CO due to a malfunctioning furnace at a Pennsylvania daycare, a state which did not mandate CO detectors in daycares. METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective analysis was performed, and de-identified patient records were examined. Collected data included age, sex, race, ethnicity, CO concentrations, arrival time, time to hyperbaric oxygen center contact, and time to transfer and discharge. RESULTS: Emergency medical services transported 16 patients to a tertiary care emergency department (ED) with both adult and pediatric departments. Fourteen patients were 10 years of age or younger. Fifteen patients arrived within one hour. Sixty-two percent (N=10) were male, and 94% (N=15) identified as Hispanic. Emergency physicians, medical toxicologists, clinicians, interpreters, and volunteers from across the hospital system were mobilized to the ED to assist with management. CONCLUSION: This large-scale daycare CO poisoning represents a potentially avoidable mass casualty incident among children and daycare staff and necessitated significant coordination of care. CO detectors in Pennsylvania daycares would provide early warning for staff, prevent or minimize toxicity, inform first responders, and better prepare EDs to handle similar situations.

Novel Use of Clonidine Patch to Treat Tizanidine Withdrawal.

Tizanidine is commonly prescribed for muscle spasticity and pain. Yet, withdrawal is rarely reported. Tizanidine stimulates presynaptic α-2 adrenergic and imidazoline receptors decreasing norepinephrine release. Abrupt cessation can cause withdrawal. Current treatment strategies include tapering oral tizanidine or substituting oral clonidine. A 52-year-old male with a history of hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and chronic back pain presented with altered mental status, agitation, hypertensive emergency (blood pressure: 250/145 mmHg), and tachycardia. The patient had been prescribed tizanidine for chronic back pain for two years and had recently run out with suspicion of misuse. Tizanidine withdrawal was diagnosed, and he improved with 0.1 mg oral clonidine three times daily weaned over five days while hospitalized. One month later the patient was admitted for persistent hypertension, tachycardia, diaphoresis, and anxiety. Alpha-2 agonist withdrawal was again diagnosed. Utilizing a clonidine patch taper may offer a reasonable approach in patients with tizanidine withdrawal.

Evaluation of an Intravenous Acetaminophen Protocol in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Acute pain is a leading reason for Emergency Department (ED) evaluation, accounting for nearly half of all ED visits. Therefore, providing effective non-opioid analgesics in the ED is critical. Oral acetaminophen (APAP) is commonly administered in the ED but is limited to patients tolerating oral intake. Intravenous (IV) APAP provides significant pain reduction parenterally. The purpose of this quality assessment project was to evaluate the frequency of opioid use in patients receiving IV APAP, the safety of IV APAP, and compliance with an ED IV APAP protocol. METHODS: This study included all patients who received IV APAP in the ED of a tertiary care, level I trauma center, during a three-month period. The protocol required ED patients to be NPO (nil per os), 18 years or older, and administered with a single 1000 mg dose. The adverse reactions within 24 hours post-IV APAP, ED length of stay (LOS), and opioid administration within four hours post-IV APAP were assessed. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients received IV APAP. All patients received a 1000 mg dose. One patient received more than one dose, but this patient had a 22-hour ED LOS. Two patients received oral medications within one hour of IV APAP (one received an antacid, and the other received carbamazepine and lamotrigine). An opioid was administered to 22 of the 94 (23.4%) patients during the four-hour protocol period. There were no reports of adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: The results show excellent compliance with the protocol. IV APAP was safe and well-tolerated. Notably, most patients did not receive an opioid within four hours of IV APAP. IV APAP can be safely and effectively utilized as an analgesic and lessen ED opioid use.

Prevention of iatrogenic fluid overload with naloxone infusions: A patient safety initiative.

A higher number of patients admitted to hospital systems are requiring a naloxone infusion for treatment of opioid toxicity. Although naloxone is a safe antidote for the treatment of opioid toxicity, this is not without the risk of iatrogenic harm. During standard pharmacy medication safety review process, it was identified that our standard naloxone concentration protocol would deliver 4 times the standard maintenance fluid rate to our pediatric patient population. After this risk was identified, a multidisciplinary review process of our naloxone infusion protocol was performed to help mitigate the potential risk of fluid overload. Our updated naloxone infusion protocol will result in close to a 10-fold reduction in fluids required for our naloxone infusion protocol to better align with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' Standardize 4 Safety Initiative and reduce the potential for iatrogenic harm.

Weight Loss or Liver Loss: A Case Report on Fulminant Hepatic Failure Secondary to Garcinia cambogia Supplementation.

This case describes a 56-year-old man with a past medical history including sickle cell trait requiring blood transfusions, who presented to the emergency department (ED) with generalized weakness and fatigue following Garcinia cambogia supplementation. Initial laboratory abnormalities included: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) 4,222 U/L and 4,664 U/L respectively, alkaline phosphatase 215 U/L, international normalized ratio (INR) 3.2, and his model for end-stage liver disease was 37. Creatinine, hemoglobin and hematocrit, and ferritin levels were all elevated. The differential diagnosis for his acute illness was broad ranging from hemochromatosis, anabolic steroid use, and portal venous thrombosis. The patient was started on N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and his liver function improved. He was discharged on hospital day 10 and instructed to discontinue his supplements and follow up for repeat blood work. This case explores the critical management of G. cambogia toxicity. The patient explored G. cambogia as an herbal supplementation resulting in weight loss, worsening generalized fatigue, and fulminant hepatic failure.

From Crashing Waves to Crashing Sodium: A Rare Case of Nearly Asymptomatic Severe Hyponatremia.

Hyponatremia refers to an abnormally low serum sodium level, and it is the most common electrolyte disorder encountered in the clinical setting. Despite its prevalence, hyponatremia can be challenging to clinically identify in some cases due to non-specific symptom presentation. In this case report, we illustrate the rare clinical course of a nearly asymptomatic patient with severe hyponatremia and discuss potential explanations for this uncommon presentation.

Surgical Opioid Stewardship for Orthopedic Surgery: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

The aim of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce unnecessary opioid prescribing by sharing data with prescribers on opioid use by patients. In our study, transition of care clinicians performed follow-up phone calls to select postoperative orthopedic patients to determine opioid use. We implemented a standardized postoperative 7-day opioid wean and designed a dashboard to track the information gathered. We calculated descriptive statistics for continuous and categorical variables. In the initial assessment of opioid use by orthopedic patients, the study consisted of 296 patients with a mean age of 64.8±11.4 years, 147 females (49.7%) and 149 males (50.3%), 59.1% joint replacements (hip, knee, shoulder), and 40.9% spine surgeries (lumbar decompression, cervical fusion, hemilaminectomy). Among those prescribed an opioid, 50% received a prescription for 30 pills or less and 52.4% reported taking more than 80% of the opioid pills, while 35.1% reported taking less than 60%. In the prescribing quality improvement assessment, there were a total of 1547 hospitalizations for joint replacement surgeries from June 2018 to June 2020: 774 (50.0%) hips and 773 (50.0%) knees. There was a significant difference in morphine milligram equivalents per day and quantity prescribed when comparing the preintervention period with the postintervention period without significant increases in opioid refill requests or return visit rates. In our study, sharing data around patient opioid use and provider-facing prescribing metrics reduced postoperative opioid prescribing without significantly increasing opioid refill or emergency department return visit rates. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(4):e230-e236.].

Modifying Post-operative Opioid Stewardship Through a System of Educational Feedback.

Background: The opioid overdose epidemic remains one of the leading focuses of the United States' public health agenda. Current literature has suggested that many surgical procedures are associated with an increased risk of chronic opioid use in the post-operative period of opioid-naïve patients. We aimed to assess whether providing feedback on the average morphine milligram equivalents (MMED) and opioid utilization by selected post-operative patients would impact the provider opioid prescribing patterns.Methods: An opioid stewardship educational intervention provided didactic and email feedback to general surgeons about their prescribing patterns and summary feedback on opioid usage among post-operative patients from the pre-intervention period. We used descriptive statistics, Chi Square, Fisher's Exact test, Wilcoxon Rank Sum, two sample t test, and Spearman's rho to analyze the data gathered.Results: A total of 5142 patients with an average age of 43.9 years were included in the study period. Women accounted for 3096 (60.2%) and 2046 (39.8%) were men. The surgeries during the study period included 1928 (37.5%) appendectomies and 3214 (62.5%) cholecystectomies. The predominant surgical approach was laparoscopic 5028 (97.8%). In both groups, the total MMED and total number of pills prescribed decreased significantly after the intervention was implemented. There were no refill prescriptions nor 30-day readmissions among those discharged with an opioid prescription in either study phase.Discussion: An intervention that provided general surgeons with feedback about their post-operative prescription patterns and data on post-operative opioid utilization by patients decreased prescribed MMED.

Perioperative Management of Patients on Maintenance Medication for Addiction Treatment: The Development of an Institutional Guideline.

With a brief summary of selected literature identified by a multidisciplinary panel of subject matter experts, the authors share their experience with the development of an institutional perioperative pain management guideline for patients on maintenance medication for addiction treatment (MAT), stressing the importance of perioperative continuation of opioid agonists such as methadone and partial agonists such as buprenorphine; and the discontinuation of opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone. The authors' protocol is appended as an example of a standardized approach to perioperative management of patients on MAT.

Consensus Development of a Core Content for a Standardized Medical Toxicology Curriculum for Medical Students.

BACKGROUND: Currently, no standardized core content in medical toxicology exists for medical students. The goals of this study were to (1) assess the current state and needs of medical toxicology clerkships and (2) develop a consensus-derived list of core topics that should be covered during a medical toxicology clerkship. METHODS: We assembled a task force established by the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) of nine experts in medical toxicology or emergency medicine. We developed a needs assessment survey that was sent to all medical student clerkship directors in medical toxicology. Based on their responses, we used a modified Delphi process to develop a consensus of core topics that should be covered during a medical student clerkship. RESULTS: Nineteen out of 42 (45%) clerkship directors completed the survey; 18 met inclusion criteria. The majority of clerkships were 4 weeks in duration with an average of 15 students/year. The three most common teaching methods used were bedside teaching (n = 17/18), classroom teaching (n = 17/18), and journal club (n = 14/18). All the clerkship directors (n = 18/18) reported they would use a standardized curriculum as well as educational content developed by ACMT. There was overwhelming consensus on the core topics which included, but were not limited to, pharmacology/toxicology; drugs; drugs of abuse; natural products; pharmacological basis of antidote use; toxicologic syndromes; vital sign abnormalities; initial management; supportive and other care; withdrawal syndrome management; industrial, household, and environmental toxins; differential diagnosis by clinical findings; and ABCs-resuscitation. CONCLUSION: The ACMT task force developed a medical toxicology clerkship core content. The task force also identified a need for shared resources among clerkships.

A Study on the Efficacy of a Naloxone Training Program.

INTRODUCTION: The use of naloxone to reverse a potentially fatal opioid overdose is a harm reduction strategy that reduces mortality and increases the potential for referral to substance use treatment for affected individuals. In the setting of outreach performed by a street medicine team, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention involving distribution of naloxone accompanied by a brief instructive session about opioids, opioid overdose, and medication administration. METHODS: Our street medicine outreach team distributed 200 naloxone kits to clinicians and volunteers involved in caring for patients on 'street rounds,' as well as in shelters, soup kitchens, and street medicine clinic settings. Those receiving a naloxone kit engaged in a peer-reviewed presentation on how to safely use the medication to reverse a potentially fatal opioid overdose. The study team developed and administered a pre- and post-survey of 10 multiple choice questions on material covered in the educational training. The pre- and post-survey scores were compared to assess the effectiveness of implementing this training. Results were stratified by participant gender and age group. RESULTS: Out of the 200 participants, six were excluded from the analysis due to completely missing data from one or both surveys. The mean age of participants was 40.2±12.5 years; 120 (65.6%) were female, 62 (33.9%) were male, and 1 (0.6%) identified as nonbinary. Every survey question had an increase in correct responses from pre-survey to post-survey (identified by an increase in the percentage of correct responses). The mean survey total score increased from 5.5±1.6 to 7.5±1.3. Within the sample of 194, the mean difference in scores from pre-survey to post-survey was 2.02 points (95% CI [1.77, 2.26]), p<0.0001. Males had a mean increase in the total score from 5.6±1.8 to 7.4±1.1. Females had a mean increase in the total score from 5.5±1.5 to 7.5±1.3. The difference in total scores in males was 1.89 points (95% CI [1.42, 2.35]), p<0.0001, and in females was 2.02 points (95% CI [1.71, 2.32]), p<0.0001. Post-test scores improved in all age groups. CONCLUSION: The educational training on opioids, opioid overdose, and the use of naloxone was an effective adjunct to naloxone kit distribution to volunteers and clinicians caring for people experiencing homelessness.

Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion and Lead Toxicity in a Child With Sickle Cell Disease and Pica.

We describe the presentation and management of a three-year-old child with a history of pica, vitamin D deficiency, and sickle cell disease, who was admitted for pyelonephritis, and found to have elevated blood lead level (BLL) of 103.7 µg/dL, and who subsequently developed altered mental status and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). In consultation with Medical Toxicology, the patient was chelated with calcium disodium edetate (EDTA) and British Anti Lewisite (BAL). The patient's hyponatremia was managed with hypertonic saline infusion. The patient's encephalopathy improved throughout her hospital course, and she was discharged on hospital day 8. Following five days of EDTA and three days of BAL injections, her repeat BLL was 15.3 µg/dL. SIADH has been associated with severe lead poisoning and may be more likely to occur in high risk patients such as individuals with sickle cell anemia, particularly where medications are used that may cause iatrogenic hyponatremia.

Influence of Pennsylvania liquor store closures during the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol withdrawal consultations.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a serious consequence of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic there was a closure of Pennsylvania (PA) liquor stores on March 17, 2020. METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational study of AWS patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital. We used descriptive statistics for continuous and categorical variables and compared AWS consults placed to the medical toxicology service for six months preceding liquor store closure to those placed between March 17, 2020 and August 31, 2020. We compared this to consults placed to the medical toxicology service placed from October 1, 2019 through March 16, 2020. Charts were identified based on consults placed to the medical toxicology service, and alcohol withdrawal was determined via chart review by a medical toxicologist. This study did not require IRB approval. We evaluated Emergency Department (ED) length of stay (LOS), weekly and monthly consultation rate, rate of admission and ED recidivism, both pre- and post-liquor store closure. RESULTS: A total of 324 AWS consults were placed during the ten month period. 142 (43.8%) and 182 (56.2%) consults were pre- and post-liquor store closure. The number of consults was not statistically significant comparing these two time frames. There was no significant difference by patient age, gender, or race or by weekly or monthly consultation rate when comparing pre- and post-liquor store periods. The median ED LOS was 7 h (95% Confidence Interval (CI) Larson et al. (2012), Pollard et al. (2020) [5, 11]) and did not significantly differ between pre- and post-liquor store periods (p = 0.78). 92.9% of AWS patients required admission without significant difference between the pre- and post-liquor store closure periods (94.4% vs. 91.8%, p = 0.36). There was a significant increase in the number of AWS patients requiring a return ED visit (Odds Ratio 2.49; 95% CI [1.38, 4.49]) post closure. CONCLUSION: There were nearly 2.5 times greater odds of ED recidivism among post-liquor store closure AWS patients compared with pre-closure AWS patients.

Establishing Consensus-based Objectives for the Creation of an Opioid Overdose Curriculum for Emergency Medical Services Clinicians.

OBJECTIVES: Emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic and are often the first health care personnel system to contact patients experiencing opioid toxicity. Although national educational guidelines include opioid toxicity, no specific standardized prehospital educational objectives or competencies exist. The goal of this project was to identify objectives for an EMS opioid toxicity curriculum that could be used for EMS training. METHODS: A list of preliminary educational objectives from U.S. EMS training programs was compiled and reviewed by a group of experts. The Delphi method was used to attain consensus on a final list of objectives for an EMS opioid curriculum. RESULTS: A total of 107 opioid-related preliminary objectives were identified and then narrowed down to 81 preliminary objectives after accounting for redundancy. After four successive rounds of evaluating/accepting/rejecting objectives, 18 final objectives were identified and unanimously approved by the expert panel. CONCLUSION: We identified 18 objectives to serve as a framework for an opioid toxicity curriculum for EMS clinicians. These objectives can serve as a basis for creating a standardized didactic training program for EMS training programs nationwide. Further evaluation will be needed to explore the best means for educational program delivery.

Characteristics of Transgender Patient Cases Managed by a Toxicologist: an Analysis of the Toxicology Investigator's Consortium (ToxIC) Registry: January 2017-June 2019.

INTRODUCTION: The Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) database, created in 2010 by the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), compiles data recorded by medical toxicologists. In January 2017, the data field for transgender (and if transgender, male-to-female or female-to-male) was added to the ToxIC form. Little is known regarding trends in poisonings among transgender patients. We sought to review consultations managed by a bedside toxicologist and provide descriptive data in trends among types of exposures within the transgender demographic. METHODS: A retrospective ToxIC database evaluation of cases in which the patient identified as transgender were reviewed from January 2017-June 2019 and descriptive demographics reported. RESULTS: The registry contained 113 cases that involved transgender patients. Of those with complete data, 41 (36.6%) were male-to-female, 68 (60.7%) were female-to-male, and 3 (2.7%) identified as gender non-conforming. Of those with complete data, the most common reason for encounter was intentional use of a pharmaceutical drug (N = 97, 85.8%), of which 85 (87.6%) were classified as intentional pharmaceutical use intended for self-harm. Analgesics were the most common class of drugs used out of those reported (N = 24, 22%). Forty-six (90.2%) patients aged 13-18 with complete data were identified as encounters due to self-harm. Attempt at self-harm was the most common reason for intentional pharmaceutical encounter among the sample of transgender patients with complete data (N = 85, 87.6%); with female-to-male patients having an N = 53 (77.9%). CONCLUSION: Among transgender patients in the ToxIC registry, the most common primary reason for the encounter was intentional use of a pharmaceutical drug intended for self-harm. In this small cohort, there were some age and transition differences in prevalence. These findings may inform poisoning prevention practices as well as sex- and gender-based management of patients in this vulnerable population.

Endotracheal Intubation in the Pharmaceutical-Poisoned Patient: a Narrative Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is an essential component of the supportive care provided to the critically ill patient with pharmaceutical poisoning; however, specific nuances surrounding intubation including techniques and complications in the context of pharmaceutical poisoning have not been well elucidated. DISCUSSION: A search of the available literature on ETI in pharmaceutical-poisoned patients was undertaken using Medline, ERIC, Cochrane database, and PsycINFO using the following MeSH and keyword terms: ("toxicology" OR "poisons" OR "drug overdose" OR "poisoning") AND ("intubation, intratracheal" OR "intubation, endotracheal" OR "airway management" OR "respiration, artificial"). A hand-search was also performed when the literature in the above search required additional conceptual clarification, including using the "Similar Articles" feature of PubMed, along with reviewing articles' reference lists that discussed intubation in the context of a poisoning scenario. Articles with any discussion around the ETI process in the context of a pharmaceutical poisoning were then included. Intubation may be performed in patients poisoned with pharmaceuticals in the context of both single and multiple organ dysfunction including central and peripheral nervous system, pulmonary, or cardiovascular toxicity with hemodynamic instability, or localized effects resulting in mechanical airway obstruction. Certain classes of poisonings may require modifications to the standard rapid sequence induction airway management algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: ETI is a key component of the supportive care provided to the patient poisoned by a pharmaceutical agent. Clinicians should be aware of the spectrum of toxicities that can necessitate intubation, as well as airway management nuances that are specific to various poisoning presentations.