Biomedical subjects

María A Martínez

Publications and source records attributed to María A Martínez.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Assessment of antibiotic prescription in acute urinary tract infections in adults.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the appropriateness of antibiotic prescription for urinary tract infections in several hospital emergency services and to evaluate the variability of antibiotic prescription among these services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the emergency services of 10 hospitals from different Spanish regions. The sample was composed of patients diagnosed with acute urinary infection, aged> or =14 years. A Consensus Conference, held by a panel of experts, established first-choice, second-choice and inappropriate antibiotic treatments for each type of urinary tract infection, based on the available scientific evidence. All the observed prescriptions in our study were classified according to this pattern. The main variables were: type of urinary infection, antibiotic prescription, urine culture request, comorbidity and hospital admission. RESULTS: A sample of 3797 acute urinary tract infections was studied. Eighty-one percent were lower urinary tract infections. The most commonly used antibiotics were ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin-clavulanate. The global percentages of first-choice, alternative-choice and inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions were: 42.4% (95% CI: 40.8-43.9), 44.1 (95% CI: 42.5-45.7) and 13.6% (95% CI: 12.5-14.7), respectively. We observed a significant variability in appropriateness of antibiotic prescriptions among the participating centres (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Physicians at Spanish emergency rooms prescribe an excessive number of second-choice antibiotics for urinary tract infection treatment. There exists a high variability in antibiotic prescription among hospitals from different regions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Anesthesiologist suicide with atracurium.

Atracurium is a nondepolarizing skeletal muscle relaxant used to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to induce skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation. The drug undergoes a spontaneous non-enzymatic biotransformation, yielding laudanosine and an acrylate moiety. This report documents the case of a 45-year-old anesthesiologist who was found dead at the hospital where he worked. The victim was known to be depressed and undergoing treatment with venlafaxine. An empty syringe was found near the body. Toxicological analysis revealed the presence of laudanosine in the syringe, 0.6 mg/L of laudanosine in heart blood, 0.3 mg/L in urine, and 0.02 mg/L in vitreous humor. Meanwhile, concentrations of venlafaxine and O-desmethyl-venlafaxine, its active metabolite, were 0.7 and 1.1 mg/L in heart blood, 1.7 and 5.2 mg/L in urine, 0.5 and 0.7 mg/L in vitreous humor, and 400 and 20 mg in gastric content, respectively. All drugs and metabolites involved in the case were detected using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection (GC-NPD) and confirmed using GC-mass spectrometry in full scan mode after solid-phase extraction using Bond-Elut Certify columns. Additional high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode-array detection screening also obtained the same results. Quantitation of laudanosine and venlafaxine together with its metabolite was carried out using GC-NPD. No other drugs, including ethanol, were detected. Recoveries for laudanosine and venlafaxine were 89% and 86%, respectively, at 0.5 mg/L; intraday and interday precisions were 2% and 6%, and 3% and 7%, respectively; and limits of detection and quantitation were 6 and 20 ng/mL and 18 and 59 ng/mL, respectively. The linearity of the blood calibration curves was excellent for both drugs with r(2) values of > 0.999 (range 0.1-2.0 mg/L). Based on the autopsy findings, case history, and toxicology results, the forensic pathologists ruled that the cause of death was an overdose of atracurium, and the manner of death was suicide.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2006

An unusual case of drug-facilitated sexual assault using aromatic solvents.

This report documents a case of drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) under the influence of solvents. The victim was a 13-year-old female. Upon contact with law enforcement, she was still confused and could hardly explain the facts. She told authorities that she had been kidnapped 4 h previously when two individuals with covered faces put a cloth soaked in a solvent over her mouth. She spent a few hours in a room, during which she lost consciousness. The girl awakened semi-nude in the street with memory loss. No alcohol was present in the subject's body; no odor of alcohol was detected on the subject's breath. No lesions were observed during a gynecological exam. A blood sample was taken with the intent to investigate the use of chloroform or similar anesthetics. Toxicological analysis of the victim's blood revealed the presence of 7.6 mg/L of benzene, 24.8 mg/L of toluene, and 0.6 mg/L of xylene (mixture of isomers). As for other analytical findings, diazepam (0.02 mg/L) was also found. The aromatic solvents involved in this case were detected using gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (GC-FID) and confirmed using GC-mass spectrometry (MS) in full scan mode after liquid-liquid extraction of the whole blood sample. Quantitation of the aromatic solvents was carried out using GC-FID. Diazepam was detected using GC with nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD) and confirmed using GC-MS with full scan mode after solid-phase extraction of the whole blood sample using Bond-Elut Certify columns. Quantitation of diazepam was carried out using GC-NPD. No other drugs, including ethanol, were detected. Recoveries for benzene, toluene, and xylene (mixture of isomers) in whole blood at 5 mg/L were 89.2%, 90.8%, and 93.4%, respectively. Intraday precisions were 5.3%, 5.0%, and 4.9%, respectively, and interday precisions were 12.1%, 11.6%, and 11.5%, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) were 30 and 100 microg/L, respectively. The linearity of the blood calibration curves was excellent with r(2) values of > 0.999 (range 0.1-10 mg/L). Recovery for diazepam in whole blood at 0.5 mg/L was 88.2% with intraday and interday precisions of 2.0% and 10.8%, respectively. The LOD and LOQ were 6 and 20 microg/L, respectively. The linearity of the blood calibration curve was excellent with r(2) values of > 0.999 (range 0.1-2 mg/L). We want to alert other toxicologists about new or unexpected products that should be taken into account when the surreptitious use of substances in DFSA is suspected.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Investigation of a fatality due to diesel fuel No. 2 ingestion.

This paper presents a simple, rapid, reliable, and validated analytical method suited for forensic examination of diesel fuel No. 2 in biological specimens. The proposed methodology has been applied to the investigation of a forensic case with diesel fuel No. 2 ingestion. Case history and pathological and toxicological findings are described here to illustrate the toxicity of this complex hydrocarbon mixture. The toxicological significance and the possible mechanisms leading to death are also discussed. The toxicological initial screening and quantitation were performed by means of gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection and confirmation was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in total ion chromatogram mode. n-Tetradecane peak was selected to estimate diesel fuel No. 2 in all biological samples. Diesel fuel No. 2 analytical methodology was validated at five concentration levels from 5 to 400 mg/L. The method provided extraction recoveries between 89.0% and 97.9%. The limit of detection was 1 mg/L and the limit of quantitation was 5 mg/L. The linearity of the blood calibration curves was excellent with r2 values of >0.999. Intraday and interday precisions had a coefficient of variation<or=10.9% in all cases. The case reports the suicide of a 64-year-old female by diesel fuel No. 2 ingestion. Heart blood concentration was 9.1 mg/L, and concentration in the abdominal contents was 3500 mg/L (total amount 8.2 mL). Pathological findings were unusual and consisted of gastric and intestinal lesions reminiscent of effects caused by ingestion of a corrosive agent and the presence of a dark-brownish liquid with strong odor to hydrocarbons. The cause of death was attributed to intoxication with diesel fuel No. 2. The manner of death, according to the case history provided by the medical examiner, was considered suicide. Because there are no other similar references regarding analytical and toxicological data, this article provides with evidence about toxic concentrations and is a useful adjunct to the postmortem toxicological interpretation of fatalities if the decedent has been involved in diesel fuel No. 2 use.

Fatal Outcome↗

PubMed2006

Home blood pressure in poorly controlled hypertension: relationship with ambulatory blood pressure and organ damage.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To assess whether home blood pressure measurement is a reliable alternative to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring for the evaluation of treated patients with inadequate blood pressure control at the clinic; and (2) to evaluate the relationship between home blood pressure and several target-organ damage markers. BASIC METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 225 treated hypertensive patients with persistently high blood pressure values at the clinic (systolic blood pressure 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90 mmHg). All study participants underwent clinic blood pressure measurement, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and home blood pressure monitoring. A subgroup of patients underwent the following procedures: carotid echography (n=74), microalbuminuria determination (n=88) and echocardiography (n=43). We defined out-of-clinic normotension as an average ambulatory or home blood pressure less than 135 mmHg (systolic) and 85 mmHg (diastolic). MAIN RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the home blood pressure method for predicting out-of-clinic normotension (with the ambulatory method used as reference), expressed as percentages, were 50, 87, 64 and 79%, respectively. Systolic home blood pressure correlated significantly with left ventricular mass (r=0.33, P<0.05) and microalbuminuria (r=0.24, P<0.05). Similar correlation coefficients were found for systolic ambulatory blood pressure (r=0.32, P<0.05 and r=0.24, P<0.05, respectively). Clinic blood pressure did not correlate with either left ventricular mass or microalbuminuria (r=0.19, P=0.09 and r=0.19, P=0.24, respectively). Diastolic home blood pressure, but not ambulatory blood pressure, correlated negatively with mean carotid intima-media thickness (r=-0.27, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, in patients with poorly controlled hypertension at the clinic, home blood pressure represents a complementary test rather than an alternative to ambulatory blood pressure, and correlates with several target-organ damage markers.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Effects of the type of dietary fat on acetylcholine-evoked amylase secretion and calcium mobilization in isolated rat pancreatic acinar cells.

Olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, and its role in human health is being actively debated. This study aimed to clarify the mechanism of pancreatic adaptation to dietary fat. For this purpose, we examined whether dietary-induced modification of pancreatic membranes affects acinar cell function in response to the secretagogue acetylcholine (ACh). Weaning male Wistar rats were assigned to one of two experimental groups and fed for 8 weeks with a commercial chow (C) or a semisynthetic diet containing virgin olive oil as dietary fat (OO). The fatty acid composition of pancreatic plasma membranes was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. For assessment of secretory function, viable acini were incubated with ACh and amylase of supernatant was further assayed with a substrate reagent. Changes in cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration in response to ACh were measured by fura-2 AM fluorimetry. Compared to C rats, pancreatic cell membranes of OO rats had a higher level of monounsaturated fatty acids and a lower level of both saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, thus, reflecting the type of dietary fat given. Net amylase secretion in response to ACh was greatly enhanced after OO feeding, although this was not paralleled by enhancement of ACh-evoked Ca(2+) peak increases. In conclusion, chronic intake of diets that differ in the fat type influences not only the fatty acid composition of rat pancreatic membranes but also the responsiveness of acinar cells to ACh. This mechanism may be, at least in part, responsible for the adaptation of the exocrine pancreas to the type of fat available.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed2005

Determination of several psychiatric drugs in whole blood using capillary gas-liquid chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection: comparison of two solid phase extraction procedures.

A simple and reliable gas chromatographic method with nitrogen-phosphorus detection without derivatization was developed for the detection of several psychiatric drugs in whole blood as part of systematic toxicological analyses (STA). Drugs included mirtazapine, chlorpromazine, methotrimeprazine (levomepromazine), clothiapine, olanzapine, clozapine, haloperidol, and thioridazine. All drugs were studied at concentrations of 100-2,000 microg/L, except haloperidol that was studied at concentrations of 400-8,000 microg/L. In order to select the best blood purification procedure and therefore increase the signal to noise ratio we have compared two solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns, Chem Elut and Bond Elut Certify, for their recovery, precision, sensitivity and matrix purification efficiency. Recoveries for these drugs using Chem Elut columns at 500 and 2,000 microg/L (2,000 and 8,000 microg/L for haloperidol) were in the range 21-65%, with intra-assay and inter-assay precisions of less than 17% and 19%, respectively. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) for mirtazapine, chlorpromazine, methotrimeprazine, clothiapine, olanzapine, clozapine, and thioridazine ranged from 62 to 161 microg/L and from 205 to 531 microg/L, respectively. LOD and LOQ for haloperidol were 442 and 1,458 microg/L, respectively. Recoveries of these compounds using Bond Elut Certify columns at 500 and 2,000 microg/L (2,000 and 8,000 microg/L for haloperidol) were in the range 44-97%, with intra-assay and inter-assay precisions of less than 7% and 14%, respectively. LODs and LOQs for mirtazapine, chlorpromazine, methotrimeprazine, clothiapine, olanzapine, clozapine, and thioridazine ranged from 37 to 66 microg/L and from 122 to 218 microg/L, respectively. LOD and LOQ for haloperidol were 156 and 515 microg/L, respectively. Linearity was observed in the studied range for all compounds with r(2) values of >0.999. The use of the mixed-mode bonded-silica Bond Elut Certify columns showed advantages comparing with Chem Elut columns for the screening of these psychotropic agents such as higher recoveries, cleaner extracts, better sensitivity, better precision and less solvent consumption and subsequent disposal.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Investigation of fatalities due to acute gasoline poisoning.

This paper presents a simple, rapid, reliable, and validated method suited for forensic examination of gasoline in biological samples. The proposed methodology has been applied to the investigation of four fatal cases due to gasoline poisoning that occurred in Spain in 2003 and 2004. Case histories and pathological and toxicological findings are described in order to illustrate the danger of gasoline exposure under several circumstances. Gasoline's tissular distribution, its quantitative toxicological significance, and the possible mechanisms leading to death are also discussed. The toxicological screening and quantitation of gasoline was performed by means of gas chromatography (GC) with flame-ionization detection, and confirmation was performed using GC-mass spectrometry in total ion chromatogram mode. m,p-Xylene peak was selected to estimate gasoline in all biological samples. Gasoline analytical methodology was validated at five concentration levels from 1 to 100 mg/L. The method provided extraction recoveries between 77.6% and 98.3%. The limit of detection was 0.3 mg/L, and the limit of quantitation was 1.0 mg/L. The linearity of the blood calibration curves was excellent with r2 values of > 0.997. Intraday and interday precisions had a coefficient of variation < or = 5.4% in all cases. Cases 1 and 2 consist of the accidental inhalation of gasoline vapor inside a small enclosed space. Case 3 is a death by recreational gasoline inhalation in a male adolescent. Heart blood concentrations were 28.4, 18.0, and 38.3 mg/L, respectively; liver concentrations were 41.4, 52.9, and 124.2 mg/kg, respectively; and lung concentrations were 5.6, 8.4, and 39.3 mg/kg, respectively. Case 4 was an accidental death due to gasoline ingestion of a woman with senile dementia. Peripheral blood concentration was 122.4 mg/L, the highest in our experience. Because pathological findings were consistent with other reports of gasoline intoxication and constituents of gasoline were found in the body, cause of death was attributed to acute gasoline intoxication. As a rule, this kind of poisoning offers little difficulty in diagnosis because there is a history of exposure, and the odor usually clings to the clothes, skin, or gastric contents. However, anatomic autopsy findings will be nonspecific and therefore toxicological analysis is necessary. There is a paucity of recent references regarding analytical and toxicological data, and this article provides evidence about toxic concentrations and is a useful adjunct to the postmortem toxicological interpretation of fatalities if the decedent has been involved in gasoline use.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2004

Dietary virgin olive oil enhances secretagogue-evoked calcium signaling in rat pancreatic acinar cells.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the long-term effects of a fat-enriched diet (virgin olive oil) on calcium mobilization and amylase secretion induced by cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8) in rat pancreatic acinar cells. Olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, and its role in human health is actively being debated. METHODS: Weaning male Wistar rats (21 d old) were assigned to one of two experimental groups and fed for 8 wk with a commercial chow (control group) or an experimental diet (olive group) containing 100 g/kg of virgin olive oil as dietary fat. Intracellular free calcium [Ca(2+)](i) levels were determined by loading the pancreatic cells with the fluorescent ratio-metric calcium indicator Fura-2 on an inverted fluorescent microscope. For measurement of amylase secretion, cells were incubated with the appropriate secretagogue for 30 min, and amylase activities in the supernatant were determined by the Phadebas blue starch method. Analysis of variance was used to test differences between groups. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the CCK-8-induced increase in [Ca(2+)](i) occurred in cells from rats in the olive group (P < 0.05). This stimulatory effect of dietary virgin olive oil was observed in calcium oscillations and large [Ca(2+)](i) transients induced by low (20 pM/L) and high (10 nM/L) concentrations of CCK-8, respectively. In addition to the effects of dietary virgin olive oil on calcium mobilization, it increased (P < 0.05) amylase secretion in response to CCK-8. Olive oil treatment did not significantly alter resting [Ca(2+)](i) or amylase release values compared with the control group. Similar results were obtained when pancreatic acinar cells were stimulated with a high concentration of acetylcholine (10 microM/L). CONCLUSION: The present results demonstrate that a diet supplemented with virgin olive oil can modify pancreatic cell function as assessed by [Ca(2+)](i) mobilization and amylase release evoked by secretagogues in rat pancreatic acinar cells. A role for fatty acids in calcium signaling is suggested.

Amylases↗

PubMed2004

A comparative solid-phase extraction study for the simultaneous determination of fluvoxamine, mianserin, doxepin, citalopram, paroxetine, and etoperidone in whole blood by capillary gas-liquid chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection.

This paper reports a simple and reliable gas chromatographic method with nitrogen-phosphorus detection without derivatization for the simultaneous detection of fluvoxamine, mianserin, doxepin, citalopram, paroxetine, and etoperidone in whole blood as part of a systematic toxicological analysis (STA). All drugs were studied at concentration levels of 100-2000 ng/mL, except paroxetine for which it was necessary to study at concentration levels of 400-8000 ng/mL. A comparative and validation study using two solid-phase extraction (SPE) columns, Chem Elut and Bond Elut Certify, was developed regarding their recovery, precision, sensitivity, and matrix purification efficiency. The Chem Elut columns, diatomaceous earth, are closely related to conventional liquid-liquid extraction. The Bond Elut Certify columns, more recently developed in the market, are mixed SPE (reversed-phase and cation exchange sorbent). Recoveries for the antidepressants using Chem Elut columns at 500 ng/mL (2000 ng/mL for paroxetine) were in the range 43-72% with intra- and interassay precisions of less than 10% and 16%, respectively. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantitation (LOQs) for fluvoxamine, mianserin, doxepin, citalopram, and etoperidone ranged from 18 to 236 ng/mL and 60 to 786 ng/mL, respectively. LOD and LOQ for paroxetine were 303 and 1009 ng/mL, respectively. Recoveries of these compounds using Bond Elut Certify columns at 500 ng/mL (2000 ng/mL for paroxetine) were in the range 52-83% with intra- and interassay precisions of less than 6% and 8%, respectively. LODs and LOQs for fluvoxamine, mianserin, doxepin, citalopram, and etoperidone ranged from 7 to 28 ng/mL and 23 to 93 ng/mL, respectively. LOD and LOQ for paroxetine were 113 and 376 ng/mL, respectively. An excellent linearity was observed with both procedures from the LOQs up to the upper studied concentration level. In general, higher recoveries, cleaner extracts, better sensitivity, better precision, and reduced solvent consumption and disposal were achieved for the screening of these antidepressants with the use of the mixed SPE Bond Elut Certify compared with Chem Elut columns. The application of these methods on a forensic case study is also presented.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Attempted suicide by ingestion of chlorpyrifos: identification in serum and gastric content by GC-FID/GC-MS.

A mild case of self-poisoning with a chlorpyrifos formulation following oral ingestion is reported. A 15-year-old female went to the emergency room after the ingestion of a product from a bottle marked with a label "Poison". On admission, she was obtunded, with normal vital signs and a strong smell of solvent. Therapeutic measures included the application of decontamination procedures, oxygen, and gastric protectors. She had a good outcome with mild CNS depression and bradycardia. Two hours after ingestion, biological samples were collected in the emergency room and sent for analysis to our laboratory with instructions to investigate the presence of solvents. The serum and gastric content contained 5.3 and 9.4 microg/mL of unmetabolized chlorpyrifos, 4.6 and 6.9 microg/mL of toluene, and 2.5 and 7.9 microg/mL of butyl acetate, respectively. Small traces of other solvents and tetradifon were also detected. Toxicological analyses were negative for ethanol, other volatile solvents, and common drugs of abuse. The simultaneous determination of chlorpyrifos, toluene, and butyl acetate was performed using the combination of gas chromatography (GC)-flame ionization detection for screening analysis and GC-mass spectrometry for confirmation of the obtained results. The method provides an excellent and rapid tool for use in cases of pesticide poisonings, allowing the simultaneous detection of the pesticide and distillates in the performance of systematic toxicological analysis in forensic and clinical laboratories.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Comparison of the effects of dietary sunflower oil and virgin olive oil on rat exocrine pancreatic secretion in vivo.

The aim of this study was to investigate the functional consequences in vivo of adapting the rat exocrine pancreas to different dietary fats. Weanling rats were fed diets containing 10 wt% virgin olive oil or sunflower oil for 8 wk. We then examined resting and cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8)-stimulated pancreatic secretion in the anesthetized animals. To confirm a direct influence of the type of fat upon the gland, the FA composition of pancreatic membranes as well as tissue protein and amylase content were determined in separate rats. The membrane FA profile was profoundly altered by the diets, reflecting the type of dietary fat given, although this was not paralleled by variations in the pancreatic content of protein or amylase. Nevertheless, dietary intake of oils evoked different effects on in vivo secretory activity. Resting flow rate and amylase output were significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced by sunflower oil feeding. Time course changes in response to CCK-8 infusion also showed a different pattern in each group. Secretion of fluid, protein, and amylase increased markedly in all animals, reaching a maximum within 20-40 min of infusion that was followed by a dramatic decline in both groups. In the sunflower oil group, this resulted in values reaching the resting level as soon as 60 min after CCK-8 infusion was begun. However, after the initial decline, olive oil group values showed a prolonged plateau elevation above the baseline (P < 0.05) that was maintained for at least the infusion time. In addition, a positive correlation between flow rate and both protein concentration and amylase activity existed in the olive oil group, but not in the sunflower oil group. The precise mechanism by which these effects are produced remains to be elucidated.

Amylases↗

PubMed2002

Pharmacokinetic characteristics and tissue residues for marbofloxacin and its metabolite N-desmethyl-marbofloxacin in broiler chickens.

OBJECTIVES: To determine pharmacokinetic characteristics of marbofloxacin after a single IV and oral administration and tissue residues after serial daily oral administration in chickens. ANIMALS: 40 healthy broiler chickens. PROCEDURE: Two groups of chickens (groups A and B; 8 chickens/group) were administered a single IV and oral administration of marbofloxacin (2 mg/kg). Chickens of group C (n = 24) were given serial daily doses of marbofloxacin (2 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h for 3 days). Plasma (groups A and B) and tissue concentrations (group C) of marbofloxacin and its major metabolite N-desmethyl-marbofloxacin were determined by use of high-performance liquid chromatography. Residues of marbofloxacin and N-desmethylmarbofloxacin were measured in target tissues. RESULTS: Elimination half-life and mean residence time of marbofloxacin in plasma were 5.26 and 4.36 hours after IV administration and 8.69 and 8.55 hours after oral administration, respectively. Maximal plasma concentration was 1.05 microg/ml, and interval from oral administration until maximum concentration was 1.48 hours. Oral bioavailability of marbofloxacin was 56.82%. High concentrations of marbofloxacin and N-desmethyl-marbofloxacin were found in the kidneys, liver, muscles, and skin plus fat 24 hours after the final dose of marbofloxacin; however, marbofloxacin and N-desmethyl-marbofloxacin were detected in only hepatic (27.6 and 98.7 microg/kg, respectively) and renal (39.7 and 69.1 microg/kg, respectively) tissues 72 hours after termination of marbofloxacin treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Analysis of pharmacokinetic data obtained in this study reveals that a minimal therapeutic dose of 2 mg/kg, PO, every 24 hours should be appropriate for control of most infections in chickens.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Investigation of a fatality due to trazodone poisoning: case report and literature review.

Trazodone is an antidepressant agent used in Spain since 1975. There are few documented reports of fatalities solely attributed to trazodone and none in which the main metabolite is analyzed. A fatal case of self-poisoning following oral ingestion is reported along with a description of the validated analytical methods involved, a discussion of poisoning characteristics, and a review of reports describing trazodone overdose cases with analytical results. The deceased was an 86-year-old man with cancer, who suffered depression. He went to see his doctor in a primary health care unit and told him he had just taken an unknown amount of tablets of Deprax to commit suicide. The doctor induced emesis as a first emergency measure. His death occurred before arriving to the hospital, and he left a suicide note nearby. Systematic toxicological analysis of postmortem blood used routinely in our laboratory revealed the presence of trazodone 4.9 mg/L and m-chlorophenyl-piperazine (m-CPP) 0.6 mg/L, its active and major metabolite. In addition, metamizol 19.6 mg/L and 4-methyl-amino-antipyrine (4-MAA) 40.7 mg/L, its active metabolite, were also found in blood. All drugs and metabolites involved in the case were detected using gas chromatography-nitrogen-phosphorus detection (GC-NPD) and confirmed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) mode total ion chromatogram. An additional high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) screening also obtained the same results. Quantitation of trazodone together with its metabolite in blood was carried out using GC-NPD, while quantitation of metamizol was performed using HPLC-DAD. Limits of detection for trazodone and m-CPP were 33 and 11 microg/L, respectively, absolute recoveries were more than 86% and 75%, respectively, intra-assay precisions less than 4%, interassay precisions less than 5%, and linearity up to 2.0 mg/L. Limit of detection for metamizol was 1117 microg/L, absolute recovery more than 84%, intra-assay precision less than 8%, interassay precision less than 12%, and linearity up to 48 mg/L. Based on the autopsy findings, patient history, toxicology results, and previously reported trazodone intoxications, the forensic pathologists ruled that the cause of death was due to an overdose of trazodone, and the manner of death was listed as suicide.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Suicidal inhalation of motorbike exhaust: adding new data to the literature about the contribution of gasoline in the cause of death.

We would like to alert toxicologists to the importance of testing for gasoline, and for volatile hydrocarbons in general, in deaths involving inhalation of exhaust fumes occurring in closed spaces with running motors or machinery. We present here a case of suicidal inhalation of motorbike exhaust, a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and gasoline vapor, by a 38-year-old female. She was found in her closed home garage with a hose extending from the exhaust pipe of a motorbike through a cellophane plastic device into a closed tent in which the victim lay. She left two suicide notes nearby. The carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) was measured using visible spectrophotometry. The toxicological screening and quantitation of gasoline was performed by means of gas chromatography with flame-ionization detector and confirmation was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The %COHb determined in blood was 73%. Gasoline concentrations in heart blood and vitreous humor were 22.3 and 1.0 mg/L, respectively. Although fatalities with CO at this rate are common, we would like to highlight the role of gasoline and add new quantitative data of this toxic substance to the scarce literature. Based upon the toxicological data, along with the information provided by the medical examiner, the cause of death was determined to be CO and gasoline poisoning and the manner of death suicide.

Adult↗