An outbreak of deaths associated with AMB-FUBINACA in Auckland NZ.

Background: AMB-FUBINACA is a synthetic cannabinoid that has been associated with periodic outbreaks of acute poisonings, but few fatalities. In late May, June and July 2017 Auckland, New Zealand, experienced an outbreak of deaths associated with AMB-FUBINACA that continued at a rate of about 2-3 per month through February 2019. The aim of this study was to define the demographic, circumstantial, pathological and toxicological characteristics of this outbreak.

The American opioid death epidemic-lessons for New Zealand?

The US is currently in the grips of an epidemic of opioid drug deaths. The pattern has shifted from prescription opioids to illicit fentanyl in most recent years. In New Zealand there has been concern about prescription opioid drugs, although we have not seen the rapid increase in mortality that has been observed in the US.

Long QT molecular autopsy in sudden infant death syndrome.

Objective: To describe experience of long QT (LQT) molecular autopsy in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Design: Descriptive audit from two distinct periods: (1) A prospective, population-based series between 2006 and 2008 ('unselected'). (2) Before and after 2006-2008, with testing guided by a cardiac genetic service ('selected').

Myocardial pathology in pulmonary thromboembolism.

Objective: To assess the nature of necroinflammatory changes identified in postmortem histological sections of the right ventricular myocardium in cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Design/setting: A retrospective study examining coronial autopsy cases (n = 28, age 58 ± 21 years, 9 men/19 women) of PTE in which isolated right ventricular myocardial pathology was encountered. Detailed immunohistological analysis was undertaken on sections of myocardium, and comparison was made to age- and sex-matched controls (n=28, age 57 ± 21 years, 9 men/19 women) without significant cardiorespiratory disease.