Adverse effects associated with bupropion therapeutic errors in adults reported to four United States Poison Centers.

CONTEXT: Bupropion is a frequently used medication. Excessive doses may cause altered mental status, seizures, and dysrhythmias. There is a need for accurate estimate of seizure risk with therapeutic errors and determination if minor symptoms are harbingers of more severe effects. METHODS: A retrospective review of adult, acute, unintentional therapeutic error, single substance bupropion ingestions with known outcome reported to four poison centers from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2016. Data included age, gender, single error dose, total bupropion dose over 18 h, prior history of seizure, management site, observation time, occurrence of an out-of-hospital adverse event, "jittery"/anxious/agitated, tachycardia/palpitations, seizures, and dysrhythmias. We recorded the total bupropion dose over 18 h if known; otherwise, we used the single error dose. We compared means for parametric data. We used Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney for nonparametric data. RESULTS: We identified 754 potential cases, of which 637 met inclusion criteria after case review. Median age was 42 years, and 76.1% were female. Cases were predominantly managed at home (56.2%). Outcomes were no effect (50.1%), minor (45.5%) and moderate (4.4%). The reported dose with no effect/minor outcome was 694 (±297) mg, and for moderate outcome was 1250 (±815) mg (p < 0.0001). Seizures occurred in four patients with median onset time of 7 h [range 2-21.5 h]. The median reported dose in patients who seized was 900 mg [range 600-3000 mg]. Of patients who developed a seizure and/or an out-of-hospital adverse event, 83% were "jittery"/anxious/agitated whereas "jittery"/anxious/agitated was present in 27% of cases that did not (p = 0.008). Tachycardia/palpitations was reported in 12% of cases; more serious dysrhythmias were not reported. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes from single unintentional ingestions of bupropion in adults are overall mild and appear to be dose related. Home management may be an option with doses up to 900 mg in an appropriate patient population.

Urinary Gadolinium Levels After Contrast-Enhanced MRI in Individuals with Normal Renal Function: a Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA) have been used to enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) since 1985. Recently, the media and online groups have voiced concerns about gadolinium deposition in patients with normal renal function based on "elevated" urinary gadolinium levels. The determination of increased urinary gadolinium levels is based on reference ranges developed in individuals with normal renal function who were never exposed to GBCA. Studies suggest an elevated gadolinium urinary elimination greater than 72 h post GBCA scan. We evaluated urine gadolinium concentrations over a 30-day period in patients administered GBCA. METHODS: In this prospective, observational pilot study, we enrolled subjects between 18 and 65 years of age with normal renal function who received GBCA for the first time. Urinary gadolinium was measured at days zero (prior to GBCA exposure), 3, 10, and 30 after GBCA exposure. We compared urinary gadolinium levels after GBCA exposure to the current reference range and calculated an estimated duration of "elevated" gadolinium urine levels in the average patient. RESULTS: All 13 subjects had 24-h urinary gadolinium levels higher than 0.7 µg/24 h with means of 1944 (± 1432) µg/24 h on day 3, 301 (± 218) µg/24 h on day 10, and 34 (± 33) µg/24 h on day 30. Based on calculated urinary gadolinium elimination kinetics, we estimate urinary gadolinium levels will often remain above the current reference range for > 50 days. CONCLUSION: The current reference range of 0.7 µg/24 h for 24 h urinary gadolinium is not applicable to patients for at least 30 days following GBCA exposure.