Kelly E. Wood

Exposure to bath salts and synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol from 2009 to 2012 in the United States

OBJECTIVE To describe bath salts and synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposures in the US from 2009 to 2012, hypothesizing a yearly increase. STUDY DESIGN All exposures reported to American Association of Poison Control Centers between January 1, 2009, and April 30, 2012, were extracted from the National Poison Data System using generic and product codes. RESULTS Bath salts and synthetic THC exposures totaled 7467 and 11,561, respectively. Bath salts exposures were 0 in 2009, 298 in 2010, and 6062 in 2011. Synthetic THC exposures were 14 in 2009, 2821 in 2010, and 6255 in 2011. First-tertile bath salts exposures were lower in 2012 (n = 1007) than in 2011 (n = 2027), and synthetic THC exposures were higher in 2012 (n = 2389) than in 2011 (n = 1888). Most exposures occurred in the midwest and southeast regions (64.8% of bath salts and 58% of synthetic THC exposures). Male subjects comprised 69% (n = 5153) of bath salts users and 74% (n = 8505) of synthetic THC users. Exposure to bath salts were highest in subjects 20-29 years of age (n = 2943), and exposure to synthetic THC was highest for subjects 13-19 years of age (n = 5349). Intentional abuse and inhalation were most common reason for and mode of exposure, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Bath salts and synthetic THC abuse increased from 2009 to 2011. Synthetic THC emerged first and has more reported exposures than bath salts. In 2012, bath salts abuse declined and synthetic marijuana abuse increased. Young men intentionally abusing the drug via inhalation make up the majority of users.

Patterns of Drugs and Drug Metabolites Observed in Meconium: What Do They Mean?

Background: Meconium drug testing is performed to detect potentially harmful drug exposures in a newborn. Interpretation of meconium drug testing results can be complicated based on the patterns and proportional concentrations of the drug(s) and/or drug metabolite(s) detected. Methods: The objective of this study was to analyze meconium drug testing patterns in a de-identified dataset from a national reference laboratory (n = 76,631) and in a subset of the data, wherein specimens originated at a single academic medical center for which detailed chart review was possible (n = 3635). Meconium testing was performed using 11 immunoassay-based drug screens. Specimens that were positive for one or more drug screens were reflexed to corresponding confirmation tests performed by gas chromatography or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection, targeted to identify and quantitate specific parent drug(s) and metabolite(s). Results: The positivity rate was the highest for the cannabis metabolite 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (25.2%, n = 18,643), followed by opiates/oxycodone (23.2%, n = 17,778), amphetamine/methamphetamine (6.7%, n = 5134), cocaine metabolites (5.5%, n = 4205), methadone (5.3%, n = 4093), benzodiazepines (3.4%, n = 2603), barbiturates (1.1%, n = 834), propoxyphene (1.0%, n = 749), and phencyclidine (0.1%, n = 44). Based on documented pharmacy history, drugs administered to either the mother or newborn during the birth hospitalization were detected in meconium, providing evidence that drugs can be incorporated into meconium rapidly. Drugs administered directly to the newborn after birth were recovered in meconium as both parent drug and metabolites, providing evidence of neonatal metabolism. Overall, patterns observed in meconium exhibited many similarities to those patterns commonly reported with urine drug testing. Conclusions: Interpretation of meconium drug testing results requires comparison of results with clinical and analytical expectations, including maternal admissions to drug use, pharmacy history, recognized metabolic patterns for drugs of interest, cutoff concentrations, and other performance characteristics of the test. Concentrations of drug(s) and drug metabolites(s) may not reliably predict timing of drug use, extent of drug use, or frequency of drug exposures.

Epidemiology of Bacteremia in Previously Healthy Febrile Infants: A Follow-up Study

OBJECTIVE Describe the etiology of bacteremia among a geographically diverse sample of previously well infants with fever admitted for general pediatric care and to characterize demographic and clinical characteristics of infants with bacteremia according to bacterial etiology. We hypothesized that the epidemiology of bacteremia in febrile infants from a geographically diverse cohort would show similar results to smaller or single-center cohorts previously reported. METHODS This was a retrospective review of positive, pathogenic blood cultures in previously healthy, febrile infants≤90 days old admitted to a general unit. In total, there were 17 participating sites from diverse geographic regions of the United States. Cultures were included if the results were positive for bacteria, obtained from an infant 90 days old or younger with a temperature≥38.0°C, analyzed using an automated detection system, and treated as pathogenic. RESULTS Escherichia coli was the most prevalent species, followed by group B Streptococcus, Streptococcus viridans, and Staphylococcus aureus. Among the most prevalent bacteria, there was no association between gender and species (Ps>.05). Age at presentation was associated only with Streptococcus pneumoniae. There were no cases of Listeria monocytogenes. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms the data from smaller or single-center studies and suggests that the management of febrile well-appearing infants should change to reflect the current epidemiology of bacteremia. Further research is needed into the role of lumbar puncture, as well as the role of Listeria and Enterococcus species in infantile bacteremia.

Retrospective analysis of the diagnostic yield of newborn drug testing

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to identify high-yield screening risk factors for detecting maternal non-medical drug use during pregnancy.MethodsA four year retrospective analysis was conducted at an academic medical center. Detailed chart review of both the newborn and mother’s medical record was performed on all cases for which one or more drug(s) or metabolite(s) were identified and confirmed in meconium or urine.Results229 (9.2%) of 2,497 meconium samples out of 7,749 live births confirmed positive for one or more non-medical drugs. History of maternal non-medical drug and/or tobacco use in pregnancy was present in 90.8% of non-medical drug use cases. Addition of social risk factors and inadequate prenatal care increased the yield to 96.9%.ConclusionsUse of focused screening criteria based on specific maternal and social risk factors may detect many prenatal non-medical drug exposures.

Bacteraemic urinary tract infection: Management and outcomes in young infants

Objectives To determine predictors of parenteral antibiotic duration and the association between parenteral treatment duration and relapses in infants <3 months with bacteraemic urinary tract infection (UTI). Design Multicentre retrospective cohort study. Setting Eleven healthcare institutions across the USA. Patients Infants <3 months of age with bacteraemic UTI, defined as the same pathogenic organism isolated from blood and urine. Main outcome measures Duration of parenteral antibiotic therapy, relapsed UTI within 30 days. Results The mean (±SD) duration of parenteral antibiotics for the 251 included infants was 7.8 days (±4 days), with considerable variability between institutions (mean range 5.5–12 days). Independent predictors of the duration of parenteral antibiotic therapy included (coefficient, 95% CI): age (−0.2 days, −0.3 days to −0.08 days, for each week older), year treated (−0.2 days, −0.4 to −0.03 days for each subsequent calendar year), male gender (0.9 days, 0.01 to 1.8 days), a positive repeat blood culture during acute treatment (3.5 days, 1.2–5.9 days) and a non-Escherichia coli organism (2.2 days, 0.8–3.6 days). No infants had a relapsed bacteraemic UTI. Six infants (2.4%) had a relapsed UTI (without bacteraemia). The duration of parenteral antibiotics did not differ between infants with and without a relapse (8.2 vs 7.8 days, p=0.81). Conclusions Parenteral antibiotic treatment duration in young infants with bacteraemic UTI was variable and only minimally explained by measurable patient factors. Relapses were rare and were not associated with treatment duration. Shorter parenteral courses may be appropriate in some infants.

Evaluating a switch from meconium to umbilical cord tissue for newborn drug testing: A retrospective study at an academic medical center

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to compare detection rates of newborn drug exposure at an academic medical center transitioning from meconium to umbilical cord tissue toxicology testing. METHODS We performed an Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective chart review on all newborns (n=2072) for whom newborn drug testing was ordered at our academic medical center between June 2012 and August 2015 (in August 2013, umbilical cord tissue became the preferred specimen). RESULTS Meconium toxicology testing was positive for at least one compound in 221 cases (21.3% of 1037 total specimens), with non-medical drug use identified in 85 cases (8.2%). Umbilical cord tissue toxicology testing was positive for at least one compound in 302 cases (29.2%), with non-medical drug use identified in 107 cases (10.3%). Of the cases involving non-medical drug use, the most common compounds detected were tetrahydrocannabinol and amphetamines. Non-medical drug use did not differ significantly between meconium and umbilical cord tissue, either as a total or for classes of drugs such as amphetamines, cannabinoids, and opiates. Maternal non-medical use of tramadol (not tested for in meconium) was identified in 5 cases (0.4%). There were significant differences in rate of detection of iatrogenic medications. Specifically, morphine, lorazepam, phenobarbital, and codeine were more commonly detected in meconium, while oxycodone was more commonly detected in umbilical cord tissue. CONCLUSIONS Umbilical cord tissue toxicology testing yielded a similar detection rate compared to meconium testing. The use of umbilical cord tissue avoids detection of medications given to the neonate prior to meconium collection.

Meconium Drug Testing in Multiple Births in the USA

Little is published about newborn drug testing in multiple gestations. The objective of this study was to review the results of meconium drug screening in multiple births to compare drug(s) and/or drug metabolite(s) detected. A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from a national reference laboratory and an academic medical center. The data were de-identified for the reference laboratory dataset. For the academic center data, a detailed chart review of the newborn and mothers medical record was performed on cases for which one or more drug(s) and/or metabolites(s) were identified and confirmed in meconium. Meconium was analyzed for amphetamine, methamphetamine, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabinoid metabolites, cocaine metabolites, methadone, opiates, oxycodone, phencyclidine and propoxyphene. One hundred and forty-two of 1,084 sets of twins and 2 of 20 sets of triplets had mismatched results. The incidence of mismatched results among the individual drug or drug classes tested was 0.9% (208 of 23,848 total results). For the panel of drug testing performed, mismatches were seen in 13% (142 of 1,084) sets of twins and 10% (2 of 20) sets of triplets. Barbiturates (33%), opiates (30%) and benzodiazepines (28%) were the most common mismatches in the national reference laboratory dataset. Benzodiazepines (89%) and opiates (51%) were most common in the academic medical center dataset with most explained by iatrogenic medications administered to one infant but not the other. Mismatches for cannabinoids most often occurred when tetrahydrocannabinol metabolites were present at a low concentration (near lower reporting limit) in one infant but not the other. Mismatched results of meconium drug testing in multiples not explainable by differences in prescribed medications are uncommon and most often occur when an analyte is barely above reporting cutoff in only one infant. Administration of iatrogenic medications to one infant but not the other(s) is another frequent cause of such mismatches.

McKusick Kaufman Syndrome, Complications Arising at Puberty

BACKGROUND McKusick Kaufman Syndrome (MKS), a rare genetic condition, presents in the neonatal period with a classic triad of postaxial polydactyly, congenital heart disease, and hydrometrocolpos. The diagnosis is typically clinical, based on the presence of polydactyly and hydrometrocolpos. CASE We report the case of a 13-year-old female, who was diagnosed with MKS in infancy and underwent vaginal reconstructive surgery for a urogenital sinus. She was lost to follow-up thereafter. She presented to our institution at age 13 with pyometra, pyosalpinx, and tubo-ovarian abscess due to a stenotic cervix obstructing menstrual outflow. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Gynecologic follow-up is imperative in patients with history of vaginal reconstruction to monitor for hematometra from outflow obstruction to prevent life threatening secondary bacterial infections.

Meconium Ileus in a Neonate with Cystic Fibrosis

Meconium Ileus in a Neonate with Cystic Fibrosis In a newborn infant with a prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, abdominal distention and emesis developed at 12 hours of age. A radiograph of the abdomen and a water-soluble contrast enema suggested a diagnosis of meconium ileus.

Factors Associated With Refusal of Intramuscular Vitamin K in Normal Newborns

The frequency of IM vitamin K administration refusal in a national network of well newborn units in the United States was 0.6%. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Refusal of intramuscular (IM) vitamin K administration by parents is an emerging problem. Our objective was to assess the frequency of and factors associated with refusal of IM vitamin K administration in well newborns in the United States. METHODS: We determined the number of newborns admitted to well newborn units whose parents refused IM vitamin K administration in the Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns network and, in a nested patient-control study, identified factors associated with refusal of IM vitamin K administration by using a multiple logistic regression model. RESULTS: Of 102 878 newborns from 35 Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns sites, parents of 638 (0.6%) refused IM vitamin K administration. Frequency of refusal at individual sites varied from 0% to 2.3%. Exclusive breastfeeding (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1–5.5), non-Hispanic white race and/or ethnicity (aOR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2–2.4), female sex (aOR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2–2.3), gestational age (aOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1–1.4), and mother’s age (aOR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02–1.08) were significantly associated with refusal of IM vitamin K administration. Refusal of the administration of both ocular prophylaxis and hepatitis B vaccine was also strongly associated with refusal of IM vitamin K administration (aOR = 88.7; 95% CI: 50.4–151.9). CONCLUSIONS: Refusal of IM vitamin K by parents of newborns is a significant problem. Interventions to minimize risks to these newborns are needed.