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H Käferstein

Publications and source records attributed to H Käferstein.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Post mortem determination of bromureides (author's transl)].

Concentrations of carbromal, carbromide and bromisoval are determined in blood, urine, brain, kidney and muscle taken at autopsy from 41 fatal cases after overdosage of bromureides. In addition values of total bromine in blood are presented. Contents of total bromine can only lead to the deduction that a chronical abuse of bromureides is existent or not. Concentrations of bromureides and carbromide show a wide range according to the different time between taking the drug and death particularly in cases of pure carbromal intoxications which sometimes cause death after several days. In such cases quantitative determination of carbromide, a pharmacologically active metabolite of carbromal, is the only way to prove an acute carbromal intoxication. Especially in cases of additional foreign substances death may occur in early the phase of poisoning. Bromureides decompose post mortem by putrefaction a high degree so that the condition of the cadaver is important. Brain tissue is the most usable material for examination but other organs, particularly muscle and kidney, can be analysed with success. For differential diagnosis fatal cases are presented which were not caused by drug intake.

Brain Chemistry↗

[Structure of bromine containing metabolites of carbromal (author's transl)].

Isolation of three bromine containing metabolites from human urine is described and their chemical structure is proved by comparison of their physical properties with those of synthetically prepared substances. 2-Bromo-2-ethyl-butyramide, a pharmacologically active product, is showed to be the most important bromine containing metabolite by volume. In 3-position hydroxylated metabolites of carbromal, 3-hydroxy-carbromal and 2-Bromo-2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-butyramide have same physical properties as the synthesized DL-threo--diastereomeres.

Bromine↗

[Nail changes and loss of hair: cardinal signs of mercury poisoning from hair bleaches (author's transl)].

In the German Federal Republic it has recently become known that generalised disorders of chronic mercury poisoning (loss of weight, stomatitis, hearing and sensory loss, emotional disturbances) have accompanied the cardinal signs of nail discolouration and loss of hair. The mercury content of nails in such patients was extremely high (1720 mg/l). The urinary level of mercury after dimercaprol injection was 1.97 mg/l, about 400 times above the upper limit of normal (0.005 mg/l). The poisoning was apparently caused by the use of mercury-containing bleaches (about 5% and 6% Hg) which do not require prescription and are marketed without any statement about composition or possible side-effects. The cases are a warning against uncontrolled use of external application of mercury-containing preparations.

Alopecia↗

[Comparison of the MTP immunoassay with EMIT in blood screening for drugs].

We compared the MTP immunoassay with EMIT for the screening of drugs of abuse (opiates, cannabinoids, cocaine metabolites and amphetamines) in whole blood samples. These blood samples were obtained from the German police, when driving under the influence of drugs of abuse was suspected. For screening with the MTP immunoassay 25 microliters of serum or blood (without any pretreatment) was pipetted into the wells of the microtiter plates and the procedure was followed as described. Prior to screening with a Cobas Mira and EMIT reagents, the samples were treated with acetone to precipitate serum proteins. The cutoff for all drugs of abuse was set at 10 ng per ml of serum or blood. In most cases there was a good agreement between the negative and positive results of the two screening assays. The agreement between the two assays in the detection of opiates and cocaine was 91% and 93%, respectively, and for cannabinoids and amphetamines approximately 80%. The MTP immunoassay was more sensitive than EMIT for the detection of cannabinoids--but at the same time the MTP immunoassay was less specific. Both screening assays have a sensitivity of 100% for the detection of opiates and cocaine, but the specificity of the EMIT--also for opiates--was substantially lower. The MTP immunoassay has in respect to amphetamines a very high sensitivity, whereas the sensitivity of EMIT for amphetamines is inacceptable due to losses during sample preparation. The specificity of MTP immunoassay for amphetamines is not optimal, because a relatively large amount of samples tested false-positive for amphetamines at the cutoff of 10 ng/ml. In summary the MTP immunoassay, although not automated, performs well in comparison with EMIT, especially if the sample preparation for EMIT testing ist considered.

Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique↗

[Techno-festival mit fatal outcome].

The authors report on a 21-year old female who died suddenly during a techno-festival. The autopsy findings and the results of chemical-toxicological analyses were not able to clear up the cause of death. Pathophysiological and toxicological considerations demonstrate that only a combination of facts are sufficient to explain the sudden death of this young woman.

Adult↗

[Poisoning by perazine--organ distribution and interpretation].

A fatal intoxication of a 22-year-old woman after intake of the phenothiazine perazine is described. In all of investigated organs e.g. in liver, lungs and kidneys high concentrations of the active agent could be found. The analytical results lead to the assumption that at least 14, most likely 30 tablets of Taxilan 100 have been taken. An unintended overdosage seems to be excluded just as an administration by another person.

Adult↗