Point-of-sale Naloxone: Novel Community-based Research to Identify Naloxone Availability.

INTRODUCTION: Expanding naloxone availability is important to reduce opioid-related deaths. Recent data suggest low, variable urban naloxone availability. No reports describe naloxone availability at the point of sale (POSN). We characterize POSN without prescription across a Midwestern metropolitan area, via a unique poison center-based study. METHODS: Pharmacies were randomly sampled within a seven-county metropolitan area, geospatially mapped, and distributed among seven investigators, who visited pharmacies and asked, "May I purchase naloxone here without a prescription from my doctor?" Following "No," investigators asked, "Are you aware of the state statute that allows you to dispense naloxone to the public under a standing order?" Materials describing statutory support for POSN were provided. Responses were uploaded to REDCap in real time. We excluded specialty (veterinary, mail order, or infusion) pharmacies a priori. POSN availability is presented as descriptive statistics; characteristics of individual sites associated with POSN availability are reported. RESULTS: In total, 150 pharmacies were prospectively randomized, with 52 subsequently excluded or unavailable for survey. Thus, 98 were included in the final analysis. POSN was available at 71 (72.5%) of 98 pharmacies. POSN availability was more likely at chain than independent pharmacies (84.7% vs 38.5%, p<0.001); rural areas were more commonly served by independent than chain pharmacies (47.4% vs 21.5%, p = 0.022). Five chain and five independent pharmacies (18.5% each) were unaware of state statutory support for collaborative POSN agreements. Statutory awareness was similar between independent and chain pharmacies (68.8% vs 54.6%, p = 0.453). Rationale for no POSN varied. CONCLUSION: POSN is widely available in this metropolitan area. Variability exists between chain and independent pharmacies, and among pharmacies of the same chain; awareness of statutory guidance does not. Poison centers can act to define local POSN availability via direct inquiry in their communities.

Complete clinical course of envenomation by Protobothrops mangshanensis: delayed coagulopathy and response to Trimeresurus albolabris antivenom.

INTRODUCTION: Protobothrops mangshanensis, the Mangshan pit viper, is a rare pit viper native to the area surrounding Mount Mang in China's Hunan province. Toxicity from envenomation is not well characterized. CASE DETAILS: A 33-year-old male presented to an emergency department (ED) after being bitten on the forearm by his P. mangshanensis. He complained of mild swelling and pain at the bite site. He was admitted for observation and toxicology consultation. Following initially normal coagulation studies including platelets, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen and D-dimer, fibrinogen decreased to 121 mg/dL and D-dimer concurrently rose to 377 ng/mL over 24 h. On hospital day 2 fibrinogen stabilized at 109 mg/dL and he was discharged with outpatient laboratory monitoring. Three days later, he returned with bruising to the contralateral arm. Fibrinogen was undetectable (<40 mg/dL) and PT was 14.6 s. He declined admission but returned 2 d later with bruising to the nose. Bloodwork revealed immeasurably prolonged PT, aPTT, and thrombin time, but he eloped. Late that evening he returned and was treated with three vials of Green pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) antivenom. Within 24 h coagulopathy improved markedly; at five days, coagulation abnormalities resolved. DISCUSSION: Mangshan pit viper envenomations may cause isolated hemotoxicity, despite molecular studies suggesting additional neurotoxicity and myotoxicity. T. albolabris antivenom appears effective in treating the resultant coagulopathy. CONCLUSION: We report the natural history of envenomation by the Mangshan pit viper. A delayed coagulopathy, apparently fibrinolytic in nature, is unaccompanied by local tissue destruction and responsive to Green pit viper antivenom.

Effect of conjugated equine estrogens on oxidative metabolism in middle-aged and elderly postmenopausal women.

The effects of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625 mg daily on cytochrome P450 (CYP) were quantified in 12 middle-aged and 13 elderly postmenopausal women at baseline and 6 months later. CYP phenotype was characterized by caffeine (CYP1A2), chlorzoxazone (CYP2E1), dapsone (CYP, N-acetyltransferase 2), dextromethorphan (CYP2D6), and mephenytoin (CYP2C19) metabolism. CEE significantly decreased CYP1A2 (caffeine metabolic ratio: 0.57 +/- 0.20 before, 0.40 +/- 0.20 after, P = .001) and significantly increased CYP2D6 (dextromethorphan/dextrorphan ratio: 0.0116 +/- 0.0143 before, 0.0084 +/- 0.0135 after, P = .022) metabolism. CEE had no overall effect on CYP2C19, CYP2E1, CYP-mediated dapsone metabolism, and N-acetyltransferase 2. The dextromethorphan metabolic ratio decreased only in the seniors. The dapsone recovery ratio decreased in the middle-aged group and increased in the seniors. CEE significantly influenced CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and CYP-mediated dapsone oxidative metabolism but not CYP2C19, CYP2E1, or N-acetyltransferase 2 metabolism in postmenopausal women. Age influenced CYP2D6 metabolism and dapsone hydroxylation.