Clinical effects of cannabis compared to synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs): a retrospective cohort study of presentations with acute toxicity to European hospitals between 2013 and 2020.

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis is the most common recreational drug worldwide and synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists are currently the largest group of new psychoactive substances. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical features and outcomes of lone acute cannabis toxicity with lone acute synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist toxicity in a large series of presentations to European emergency departments between 2013-2020. METHODS: Self-reported drug exposure, clinical, and outcome data were extracted from the European Drug Emergencies Network Plus which is a surveillance network that records data on drug-related emergency department presentations to 36 centres in 24 European countries. Cannabis exposure was considered the control in all analyses. To compare the lone cannabis and lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist groups, univariate analysis using chi squared testing was used for categorical variables and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U- testing for continuous variables. Statistical significance was defined as a P value of <0.05. RESULTS: Between 2013-2020 there were 54,314 drug related presentations of which 2,657 were lone cannabis exposures and 503 lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposures. Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist presentations had statistically significantly higher rates of drowsiness, coma, agitation, seizures and bradycardia at the time of presentation. Cannabis presentations were significantly more likely to have palpitations, chest pain, hypertension, tachycardia, anxiety, vomiting and headache. DISCUSSION: Emergency department presentations involving lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist exposures were more likely to have neuropsychiatric features and be admitted to a psychiatric ward, and lone cannabis exposures were more likely to have cardiovascular features. Previous studies have shown variability in the acute toxicity of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists compared with cannabis but there is little comparative data available on lone exposures. There is limited direct comparison in the current literature between lone synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist and lone cannabis exposure, with only two previous poison centre series and two clinical series. Whilst this study is limited by self-report being used to identify the drug(s) involved in the presentations, previous studies have demonstrated that self-report is reliable in emergency department presentations with acute drug toxicity. CONCLUSION: This study directly compares presentations with acute drug toxicity related to the lone use of cannabis or synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. It supports previous findings of increased neuropsychiatric toxicity from synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists compared to cannabis and provides further data on cardiovascular toxicity in lone cannabis use.

Case series of chronic occupational lead exposure in shooting ranges.

INTRODUCTION: Despite existing occupational lead exposure prevention regulations, Lithuanian shooting range workers still complain of chronic lead poisoning related symptoms. This indicates a poor understanding of occupational safety when working in lead-polluted environments. CASE PRESENTATION: 20 men, whose age ranged from 32 to 57 (mean 41.8 ± 10 years), were consulted at the Toxicology Centre at the Republican Vilnius university hospital in Vilnius, Lithuania in the 2016-2019 year period. All of the patients were working as shooting instructors, with their work experience varying from 2 to 30 years. Clinical examination showed blood lead levels ranging from 5.64 µg/dL to 45.8 µg/dL (norm for occupational exposure - <40 µg/dL). Main symptoms were fatigue (12 patients out of 20), dizziness (5/20), arthralgia (5/20). Other symptoms included impaired memory (3/20), nausea (3/20), sleep disorders (3/20), metallic or sweet taste (3/20), dermatological disorders (3/20), coxarthrosis (2/20), balance disorders (2/20), paresthesia (2/20), abdominal pain (2/20) and others. 4 patients were asymptomatic. DISCUSSION: Shooting range employees are highly vulnerable to daily lead exposure. Even low constant elevated blood lead concentrations can have significant toxic effects over time.

Change of quality of life in patients with chronic pain with prescription opioid usage after opioid detoxification.

BACKGROUND: Managing patients with chronic pain with long-term opioid therapy can be challenging for the prescribers, as the development of treatment complications such as addiction and opioid-induced hyperalgesia has to be considered. There is a paucity of information on the use of opioid detoxification protocols in patients with chronic pain on a long-term opioid therapy who have developed opioid-induced complications. AIM: To determine the effectiveness of detoxification treatment while presenting a different opioid detoxification protocol intended to cease patient's prescription opioid use while assessing patient's quality of life (QoL) changes, implicated by our treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 41 patients with chronic pain with long-term prescription opioid usage who underwent elective opioid detoxification in years 2010-2019 at the Toxicology Centre of Republican Vilnius University Hospital. We ceased prescription opioids during detoxification treatment and monitored withdrawal symptoms, pain intensity, and QoL by using SF-36 scores before and right after and a minimum of 3 months after detoxification. RESULTS: This study was fully completed by 14 patients. At the third SF-36 evaluation, 12 out of 14 patients (85.71 percent) reported the detoxification treatment as beneficial to their overall health status compared to that before the treatment, and SF-36 scores after detoxification were significantly higher than before the treatment (p = 0.001). A decreased pain level right after detoxification was indicated by 11 patients (78.6 percent). Significant pain decrease was observed both right after and at least 3 months after the opioid detoxification treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As significant pain reduction, QoL life improvement, and opioid usage cessation were observed after opioid detoxification in the majority of patients with chronic pain, this leads us to believe that such a treatment can be safely administered and appropriated.

Challenges in the diagnostics and management of hydrochlorothiazide-induced severe hyponatremia in a habitual beer drinker.

INTRODUCTION: Beer potomania is a syndrome of severe hyponatremia caused by excessive beer consumption. The risk of hyponatremia increases in the case of a combination of beer potomania and the use of thiazide diuretics. CASE REPORT: A 55-year-old male patient with the anamnesis of a long-lasting alcohol use disorder was presented to the emergency department after seizures accompanied by an impaired mental status. He had been drinking beer regularly for ten years. On physical examination, the patient was tachypneic, tachycardic, disorientated, restless, the Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9, observed tremor, and the smell of alcohol from the mouth. Laboratory results showed plasma sodium 105  mmol/L, blood urea nitrogen 1.8 mmol/L, the alcohol concentration in the blood 0.06 g/l, and calculated serum osmolality 219 mOsm/kg H2O. After a detailed initial evaluation of the patient and labs for hyponatremia, a diagnosis of beer potomania was established. On the third day of hospitalization, the patient's anamnesis was filled with information about the use of Valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide, together with reduced salt intake in the diet for three months for arterial hypertension treatment. It was decided that the combination of heavy beer drinking with the use of diuretic and reduced consumption of salt provoked hyponatremia. The patient was treated with infusion therapy of sodium chloride; plasma sodium level reached 136 on the third day of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This case represents an unusual syndrome of beer potomania in conjunction with hydrochlorothiazide usage and reduced salt consumption, which can result in severe hyponatremia that may provoke severe neurologic damage.

Consequences of an extreme diet in the professional sport: Refeeding syndrome to a bodybuilder.

Refeeding syndrome, as a life-threatening condition, is well known among severely malnourished or deeply metabolically stressed patients. This case presents an atypical manifestation of the syndrome to a young bodybuilder, whose extreme diet, including 5 months of insufficient nourishment before the sport competition and 6 days of carbohydrates overload afterwards, has led him to a bilateral lower - limb paralysis and drastic homeostatic disturbances. Severe hypokalemia, hypophosphatemia, hypomagnesemia and hyperglycemia with mildly elevated liver enzymes have occurred. The patient could barely move his legs and arms, and his state has been followed by a hypertensive crisis, which required an immediate intravenous treatment. Although his weight was 112,5 kg with a body mass index of 32,2 kg per square meter, and his blood serum albumin concentration resulted inside the normal range, the overall condition was corresponding to the state of extenuated and malnourished patients. This case reflects to high prevalence of eating disorders or non-adequate nutrition among weight-sensitive sport athletes. The importance of prevention and opportune diagnostics of refeeding syndrome among special vulnerable groups should be considered.

A series of cases of rhabdomyolysis after ingestion of Tricholoma equestre.

Tricholoma equestre (hereinafter - T. equestre) is a common edible fungus that is considered to be toxic under certain conditions. Here, we report four cases of acute poisoning caused by T. equestre, including one lethal outcome in Lithuania between 2004 and 2013. In the severe case, fatigue, nausea without vomiting and muscle pain, profuse sweating without fever, and respiratory insufficiency occurred. Laboratory tests showed an elevation of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Although clinical findings and laboratory tests support evidence of rhabdomyolysis, no renal insufficiency was observed. Significance of T. equestre in cardiac changes is feasible but remains unclear.