Factors Affecting the Choice to Specialize in Medical Toxicology.

Introduction: Medical toxicology is a small but growing specialty. To ensure that the specialty continues to grow and attract strong candidates, it is important to understand what influences physicians to pursue medical toxicology training. This would allow for targeted interventions to recruit strong candidates to the field.

Characterization of Nonfatal Opioid, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Polydrug Exposure and Clinical Presentations Reported to the Toxicology Investigators Consortium Core Registry, January 2010-December 2021.

Introduction: To characterize and compare opioid-only, cocaine-only, methamphetamine-only, opioid-and-cocaine exposure, and opioid-and-methamphetamine exposure and to examine clinical presentations, leading to a better understanding of overdose effects involving these drug exposures.

Methods: We examined drug exposures in the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) Core Registry from January 2010 to December 2021, a case registry of patients presenting to participating healthcare sites that receive a medical toxicology consultation. Demographic and clinical presentations of opioid-only, cocaine-only, methamphetamine-only, and opioid-and-cocaine exposure, and opioid-and-methamphetamine exposure consultations were described; differences between single and polydrug exposure subgroups were calculated to determine statistical significance.

Kratom Use and Toxicities in the United States.

Background: Kratom is an herbal supplement containing alkaloids with opioid properties. This review was conducted to determine toxicities associated with kratom use in the United States in order to provide insight into its safety as a dietary supplement.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of kratom exposures reported to the National Poison Data System to determine the toxicities associated with kratom use.

A rare and important case of -associated ventricular atrial shunt nephritis.

Shunt nephritis is a rare and relatively new diagnosis involving glomerular kidney damage following ventriculoperitoneal and ventriculoatrial shunt placement. Our case report summarizes the presentation, diagnostic workup, and management of a patient with shunt nephritis. We also review and discuss the current literature on the topic.