The serum and urine from 44 consecutive patients that tested positive for the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (BE) were examined for free cocaine, ecgonine methyl ester (EME), and other metabolites by gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In 13 of these patients, unique ethanol-related cocaine metabolites, cocaethylene and ecognine ethyl ester (EEE), were detected in urine and serum. One was from a newborn baby whose mother's blood was positive for cocaine and negative for cocaethylene. In two other patients, isopropanol was also consumed with cocaine and ethanol. In one of these two, cocaisopropylene and ecognine isopropyl ester (EPE) were identified in urine. The urine ethanol concentration in 7 of the 13 cocaethylene-positive patients ranged from 19 to 322 mg/dL. In the other six, ethanol was not detected in the urine. However, each of these latter patients had either prior serum results that were positive for ethanol or admitted to recent alcohol abuse. In the remaining 31 of 44 cocaine-positive patients, ethanol and the alcohol-specific cocaine metabolites were absent. The detection of alcohol-related cocaine metabolites is fairly common in a cocaine-positive patient population.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jat/16.2.132 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
The Rise of Fentanyl: Molecular Aspects and Forensic Investigations.
Int J Mol Sci
January 2025
Legal Medicine, Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid widely used for its potent analgesic effects in chronic pain management and intraoperative anesthesia. However, its high potency, low cost, and accessibility have also made it a significant drug of abuse, contributing to the global opioid epidemic. This review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of fentanyl's medical applications, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and pharmacogenetics while examining its adverse effects and forensic implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCocaine and aortic dissection: the need for collaboration to overcome the underreporting bias.
Forensic Sci Med Pathol
January 2025
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, Naples, 80131, Italy.
The dissection of the aorta is a serious and potentially fatal consequence of cocaine use. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms and characteristics of this phenomenon remain to be deeply studied. The autopsy case of a 46-year-old white male found irresponsive and unconscious in his house and had a history of abusing cocaine is presented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccidental Detection of Cocaine in Urine in Pediatric Patients: Case Series and Literature Review.
Children (Basel)
October 2024
Responsible GAIA Service, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139 Florence, Italy.
Infantile occult exposure to cocaine in domestic environments represents a complex clinical and medico-legal problem, which can be associated with abuse and neglect and with potential short- and long-term health risks for children. The authors present a retrospective study on 764 children under 14 years old who accessed the Emergency Department of IRCCS Meyer from 2016 to 2023 and were included in the GAIA (Child and Adolescent Abuse Group) protocol for suspected maltreatment and abuse, and for which a urine toxicology analysis was performed. The aim is to discuss the medico-legal implications and highlight the need for a thorough evaluation and management of such situations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRapid Determination of Methamphetamine, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, Methadone, Ketamine, Cocaine, and New Psychoactive Substances in Urine Samples Using Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography.
Metabolites
November 2024
Center for Research on Multidimensional Separation Science, School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, USM 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
Article Synopsis
- This study explores the effectiveness of a two-dimensional gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC×GC-FID) method for identifying 12 psychoactive drugs in urine, including popular substances like cocaine and methamphetamine.
- The method achieved clear separation of these drugs within 8 minutes using a specific column setup, demonstrating better results than traditional configurations.
- Validation showed high accuracy and precision for drug detection, with very low detection limits and effective recovery rates, proving its usefulness for quick forensic drug testing.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!