Two Fatal Intoxications Involving Butyryl Fentanyl.

We present the case histories, autopsy findings and toxicology findings of two fatal intoxications involving the designer drug, butyryl fentanyl. The quantitative analysis of butyryl fentanyl in postmortem fluids and tissues was performed by an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. In the first case, butyryl fentanyl was the only drug detected with concentrations of 99 ng/mL in peripheral blood, 220 ng/mL in heart blood, 32 ng/mL in vitreous humor, 590 ng/mL in gastric contents, 93 ng/g in brain, 41 ng/g in liver, 260 ng/mL in bile and 64 ng/mL in urine. The cause of death was ruled fatal intoxication by butyryl fentanyl. In the second case, butyryl fentanyl was detected along with acetyl fentanyl, alprazolam and ethanol. The butyryl fentanyl concentrations were 3.7 ng/mL in peripheral blood, 9.2 ng/mL in heart blood, 9.8 ng/mL in vitreous humor, 4,000 ng/mL in gastric contents, 63 ng/g in brain, 39 ng/g in liver, 49 ng/mL in bile and 2 ng/mL in urine. The acetyl fentanyl concentrations were 21 ng/mL in peripheral blood, 95 ng/mL in heart blood, 68 ng/mL in vitreous humor, 28,000 ng/mL in gastric contents, 200 ng/g in brain, 160 ng/g in liver, 330 ng/mL in bile and 8 ng/mL in urine. In addition, the alprazolam concentration was 40 ng/mL and the ethanol concentration was 0.11 g/dL, both measured in peripheral blood. The cause of death in the second case was ruled a mixed drug intoxication. In both cases, the manner of death was accident.

Postmortem tissue distribution of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl and their respective nor-metabolites analyzed by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

In the last two years, an epidemic of fatal narcotic overdose cases has occurred in the Tampa area of Florida. Fourteen of these deaths involved fentanyl and/or the new designer drug, acetyl fentanyl. Victim demographics, case histories, toxicology findings and causes and manners of death, as well as, disposition of fentanyl derivatives and their nor-metabolites in postmortem heart blood, peripheral blood, bile, brain, liver, urine and vitreous humor are presented. In the cases involving only acetyl fentanyl (without fentanyl, n=4), the average peripheral blood acetyl fentanyl concentration was 0.467 mg/L (range 0.31 to 0.60 mg/L) and average acetyl norfentanyl concentration was 0.053 mg/L (range 0.002 to 0.086 mg/L). In the cases involving fentanyl (without acetyl fentanyl, n=7), the average peripheral blood fentanyl concentration was 0.012 mg/L (range 0.004 to 0.027 mg/L) and average norfentanyl blood concentration was 0.001 mg/L (range 0.0002 to 0.003 mg/L). In the cases involving both acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl (n=3), the average peripheral blood acetyl fentanyl concentration was 0.008 mg/L (range 0.006 to 0.012 mg/L), the average peripheral blood acetyl norfentanyl concentration was 0.001 mg/L (range 0.001 to 0.002 mg/L), the average peripheral blood fentanyl concentration was 0.018 mg/L (range 0.015 to 0.021mg/L) and the average peripheral blood norfentanyl concentration was 0.002 mg/L (range 0.001 mg/L to 0.003 mg/L). Based on the toxicology results, it is evident that when fentanyl and/or acetyl fentanyl were present, they contributed to the cause of death. A novel ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method to identify and quantify acetyl fentanyl, acetyl norfentanyl, fentanyl and norfentanyl in postmortem fluids and tissues is also presented.

Postmortem Toxicology Findings of Acetyl Fentanyl, Fentanyl, and Morphine in Heroin Fatalities in Tampa, Florida.

In the last two years, an epidemic of 40 fatal heroin overdose cases has occurred in the Tampa area of Florida. Of these cases, 14 involved fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. Victim demographics, case histories, toxicology findings, and causes and manners of death for all 40 deaths are presented. In 26 deaths in which acetyl fentanyl or fentanyl were not involved, free and total peripheral blood morphine concentrations were consistent with fatal heroin intoxications, averaging 0.16 mg/L and 0.35 mg/L, respectively. In the heroin cases with fentanyl present (n=7), the average free morphine concentration was 0.040 mg/L, the average total morphine concentration was 0.080 mg/L, and the average fentanyl concentration was 0.012 mg/L. In the cases with heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl (n=3), the average free morphine concentration was 0.010 mg/L, the average total morphine concentration was 0.030 mg/L, the average fentanyl concentration was 0.018 mg/L, and the average acetyl fentanyl concentration was 0.008 mg/L. In the cases involving only acetyl fentanyl (without heroin or fentanyl, n=4), the average acetyl fentanyl concentration was 0.47 mg/L and the average acetyl norfentanyl concentration was 0.053 mg/L. The presented cases, with associated drug concentrations, case histories, demographics, and causes and manners of death may help provide assistance with the interpretation of the postmortem findings. Based on case circumstances, autopsy results, and toxicology results, it is evident that fentanyl and/or acetyl fentanyl, when present, contributed to the cause of death.