Liquid ecstasy intoxication: clinical features of 505 consecutive emergency department patients.
Miguel Galicia, Santiago Nogué, Òscar Miró
Emergency medicine journal : EMJ June 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1136/emj.2008.068403 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractBetween 2000 and 2007, 505 patients (mean age 24.7 years, 68% men) were treated for GHB (liquid ecstasy) poisoning at a Barcelona emergency department. Most cases occurred on weekends (89%) and in the early morning (75%), with reduced consciousness as the primary symptom: 72% had a Glasgow Coma Score of 12 or below. 76% had also consumed other drugs, most commonly ethanol (64%). Patients who combined GHB with other substances took longer to recover consciousness (71 vs 59 minutes) and were more likely to need treatment (29% vs 16%) or mechanical ventilation (3% vs 0%) compared with those who took GHB alone. No deaths occurred.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 505 |
| Population | Patients admitted to the emergency department of Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, for GHB poisoning or overdose between 2000 and 2007 |
| Key finding | GHB intoxication with reduced consciousness was a frequent reason for emergency admission, especially among young people on weekend early mornings, and symptoms were more severe when GHB was combined with other substances. |
Abstract
To describe the epidemiological profile and clinical manifestations of liquid ecstasy (GHB) poisonings. All cases of GHB poisoning or overdose admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of the Hospital Clinic (Barcelona) between 2000 and 2007 were recorded. A total of 505 patients (mean age 24.7 years, 68% men) were included. Most patients were brought to the hospital by ambulance (98%), during the weekend (89%) and during the early morning (75%). Symptoms began in a public place in 97%. Reduced consciousness was the most important clinical manifestation: 72% of patients had a Glasgow Coma Score of ≤ 12. 76% of patients had consumed other drugs: ethanol (64%), amphetamines and derivates (30%), cocaine (28%), ketamine (11%), cannabis (9%) and others (5%). Treatment was required in 26% of cases and an antidote was administered in 35 cases with no response. There were no deaths. The combined GHB group had a longer time to complete recovery of consciousness (71 ± 40 vs 59 ± 40 min, p < 0.001) and a higher percentage of patients with severely reduced consciousness at ED arrival (54% vs 37%, p = 0.01), need for treatment (29% vs 16%, p < 0.01) and need for mechanical ventilation (3% vs 0%, p < 0.05) compared with the pure GHB group. GHB intoxication leading to reduced consciousness is a frequent reason for ED admission, above all in young people and in the early morning at the weekend. Symptoms are more severe in patients who have taken GHB in combination with other substances of abuse.