26 research outputs found
Inhalant deaths in south Australia - A 20-year retrospective autopsy study
No full textA 20-year retrospective study of inhalant deaths in South Australia, autopsied at Forensic Science SA, was undertaken from January 1983 to December 2002. Thirty-nine cases were identified from an autopsy pool of 18,880 cases, with a male to female ratio of 12:1. Sixty-four percent of the victims (N = 25) died during voluntary inhalation of volatile substances and 28% (N = 11) committed suicide utilizing a volatile substance or gas. The remaining 3 cases involved a workplace accident (N = 1) and 2 cases of autoerotic death where inhalants were being used to augment solitary sexual activity. The mean age of the 28 victims of accidental inhalant death of 21 years (range, 13-45 years) was considerably less than that of the 11 suicide victims of 31.5 years (range, 17-48 years). No homicides were found. Approximately one quarter of the victims were Aboriginal (N = 11), 10 of whom had died as a result of gasoline inhalation ("petrol sniffing"). Other common substances of abuse were aliphatic hydrocarbons such as butane. The study has shown that those most at risk for accidental or suicidal inhalant deaths were young males, with 92% of victims overall being male, and with 77% of victims being under 31 years of age. Gasoline inhalation remains a significant problem in Aboriginal communities in South Australia.Regula Wick, John D. Gilbert, Peter Felgate, and Roger W. Byar
Fatalities associated with the use of gamma-hydroxybutyrate and its analogues in Australasia
No full textThe document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.Objective: To identify deaths in Australasia associated with overdose of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its precursors (γ-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol). Design: A retrospective search of medical and scientific information sources, as well as popular newsprint, for the period January 2000 – August 2003, with formal clinical, toxicological and forensic evaluation of retrieved data. Main outcome measure: Death associated with forensic data implicating GHB or its analogues. Results: Ten confirmed GHB-associated deaths were identified, with eight considered to be directly attributable to GHB. Only two of these eight cases were positive for ethanol toxicology. Conclusions: Our study supports the existing evidence that GHB overdose is associated with fatalities, and that fatal overdoses occur in the context of isolated use.David G E Caldicott, Fiona Y Chow, Brian J Burns, Peter D Felgate and Roger W Byar
Pill content, dose and resulting plasma concentrations of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in recreational 'ecstasy' users
No full textAims: To improve our understanding of the pharmacology of 'ecstasy' in recreational environments; in particular, to describe the composition of ecstasy pills, patterns of ecstasy use and the relationship between dose of 3,4-methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and resulting plasma concentrations. Design, setting and participants: A naturalistic observational study of 56 experienced 'ecstasy' users in recreational settings in Australia. Measurements: Drug use patterns (number of pills consumed, other drugs consumed). drug content of pills and resultant plasma concentrations of MDMA and related drugs were assessed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Findings: Ecstasy pills generally contained MDMA, but this was often combined with other drugs such as 3,4-methylendioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) and methamphetamine. The dose of MDMA per pill ranged from 0 to 245 mg and users consumed from one-half to five pills, with the total dose consumed ranging up to 280 mg. Plasma concentrations of MDMA increased with number of pills consumed and cumulative MDMA dose. Use of larger numbers of pills was associated with extended exposure to the drug. Conclusions: MDMA is the major active drug in ecstasy pills, but there is a high degree of variation in doses. Use of multiple pills over the course of one session is common and results in a sustained increase in MDMA plasma concentrations over a number of hours. This is likely to lead to a much greater exposure of the brain to MDMA than would be predicted from controlled single-dose pharmacokinetic studies.Kate M. Morefield, Michael Keane, Peter Felgate, Jason M. White & Rodney J. Irvin
Population drug use in Australia: A wastewater analysis
No full textAccurate information on drug use in communities is essential if health, social and economic harms associated with illicit drug use are to be addressed efficiently. In most countries population drug use is estimated indirectly via surveys, medical presentations and police and custom seizures. All of these methods have at least some problems due to bias, small samples and/or long time delays between collecting the information and analysing the results. Recently the direct quantification of drug residues in wastewater has shown promise as a means of monitoring drug use in defined geographical areas.
In this study we measured 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methamphetamine and benzoylecgonine in sewage inflows in metropolitan and regional areas of Australia and compared these data with published European data. Cocaine use was small compared to European cities (p < 0.001) but was compensated for by much greater consumption of methamphetamine (p < 0.001) and MDMA (p < 0.05). MDMA was more popular in regional areas (p < 0.05) whereas methamphetamine and cocaine were mainly consumed in the city (p < 0.05). Greater than 5-fold increases in MDMA use were detected on weekends (p < 0.001). This approach has the potential to improve our understanding of drug use in populations and should be further developed to improve prevention and treatment programs.Rodney J. Irvine, Chris Kostakis, Peter D. Felgate, Emily J. Jaehne, Chang Chen, Jason M. Whit
Evaluation of pre-analysis loss of dependent drugs in wastewater: stability and binding assessments
No full textArticle first published online: 9 OCT 2012Wastewater analysis has the potential to provide objective and timely data on population drug consumption, but some crucial factors such as pre-analysis drug loss during sample storage and filtration could affect the accuracy and reliability of the method, and these uncertainties have yet to be fully assessed. This study was designed to evaluate analyte stability in wastewater stored under different conditions with the aim of optimizing the sample storage procedures for future studies. It also investigated whether there is significant analyte loss during filtration before sample extraction and storage after that. The studied substances and metabolites were: cotinine, cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine, phenethylamines amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), opioids including codeine, methadone, 6-monoacetylmorphine (MAM) and morphine. In most situations, storing samples at 4 C is sufficient to stabilize analytes for at least 2weeks, and refrigeration is unnecessary during sample transportation within 3 days. However, additional measures need to be taken if unstable analytes such as cocaine and MAM are to be analyzed. No significant analyte loss was observed in the filtration process or in reconstituted extract stored at 4 C or 20 C for 2weeks. By choosing stable analytes and proper storage conditions, wastewater analysis has the potential to provide accurate data for estimation of community drug use.Chang Chen, Chris Kostakis, Rodney J. Irvine, Peter D. Felgate and Jason M. Whit
Plasma drug concentrations and physiological measures in 'dance party' participants
No full textThe increasing use of (7) 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the setting of large dance parties (‘raves’) and clubs has been the source of some concern, because of potential acute adverse events, and because animal studies suggest that MDMA has the potential to damage brain serotonin (5-HT) neurons. However, it is not yet known whether MDMA, as used in the setting of dance parties, leads to plasma levels of MDMA that are associated with toxicity to 5-HT neurons in animals. The present study sought to address this question. Plasma MDMA concentrations, vital signs, and a variety of blood and urine measures were obtained prior to, and hours after, individuals attended a dance party. After the dance party, subjects were without clinical complaints, had measurable amounts of residual MDMA in plasma, and nearly half of the subjects also tested positive for methamphetamine, another amphetamine analog that has been shown to have 5-HT neurotoxic potential in animals. Plasma concentrations of MDMA did not correlate with self-reported use of ‘ecstasy’ and, in some subjects, overlapped with those that have been associated with 5-HT neurotoxicity in non-human primates. Additional subjects were likely to have had similar concentrations while at the dance party, when one considers the reported time of drug ingestion and the plasma half-life of MDMA in humans. Hematological and biochemical analyses were generally unremarkable. Moderate increases in blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature were observed in the subjects with the highest MDMA plasma concentrations. These findings are consistent with epidemiological findings that most people who use MDMA at dance parties do not develop serious clinical complications, and suggest that some of these individuals may be at risk for developing MDMA-induced toxicity to brain serotonin neurons.Rodney J Irvine, Michael Keane, Peter Felgate, Una D McCann, Paul D Callaghan and Jason M Whit
Marked decline in 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) based on wastewater analysis
No full textObjective: Recent reports in Europe suggest a decline in 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) use, but quantifiable and objective measurement is unavailable. The global extent of changes in MDMA and related stimulant use is also unclear. This study aims to quantify changes in MDMA use in Australia and determine whether these changes have been accompanied by differing amounts of other stimulant use. Method: We acquired information on recent use of MDMA and related illicit stimulants in Australia using the method of wastewater analysis. Untreated wastewater samples collected from three metropolitan treatment plants in Adelaide from May to July 2009 and the same months in 2010 were analyzed. Concentrations of MDMA, methamphetamine, and benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine) were determined using solid phase extraction–liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Weekly consumed doses of MDMA, methamphetamine, and cocaine per 1,000 people were estimated. Results: From 2009 to 2010, weekly consumption of MDMA decreased from mean of 4.52 (SEM = 0.74) doses/week per 1,000 people to 0.08 (0.01) doses/week per 1,000 people (p < .001); weekly consumption of methamphetamine increased from a mean of 48.35 (6.13) doses/week per 1,000 people to 68.13 (5.33) doses/week per 1,000 people (p < .05); and weekly consumed doses of cocaine did not significantly change. Local roadside saliva testing data also showed that the MDMA-positive test rate decreased from 0.30% to 0.05% and the methamphetamine-positive test rate increased from 1.43% to 1.52% during the past 2 years. Conclusions: This study shows a 50-fold decrease in consumed doses of MDMA with a rise in methamphetamine use in Australia over a 1-year period.Chang Chen, Chris Kostakis, Peter Harpas, Peter D. Felgate, Rodney J. Irvine, Jason M. Whit
Reading Lapita in near Oceania : intertidal and shallow-water pottery scatters, Roviana Lagoon, New Georgia, Solomon Islands
No full textLapita is the name given by archaeologists to a material culture complex distributed from
Papua New Guinea to Samoa about 3000 years ago, which marks major economic changes
in Near Oceania and the first settlement by humans of Remote Oceania. Those parts of
Solomon Islands that lie in Near Oceania, together with Bougainville, comprise a large gap
in the recorded distribution of Lapita, which the current research seeks to explain. At
Roviana Lagoon, centrally located in this gap, scatters of pottery, stone artefacts, and other
stone items are found in shallow water in this sheltered, landlocked lagoon, initially thought
to be late derivatives of Lapita. This research seeks method and theory to aid in the
interpretation of this type of archaeological record.
Intensive littoral survey discovered a wider chronological range of pottery styles
than had previously been recorded, including materials attributable directly to the Lapita
material culture complex. A study of vessel brokenness and completeness enabled sample
evaluation, estimation of a parent population from which the sample derived, assessment
of the state of preservation of the sample, and systematic choice of unit of quantification.
Studies of wave exposure of collection sites and taphonomic evidence from sherds
concluded that the cultural formation process of these sites was stilt house settlement (as
found elsewhere in Near Oceania for Lapita) over deeper water than today. Falling relative
sea levels and consequent increasing effects of swash-zone processes have resulted in high
archaeological visibility and poor state of preservation at Roviana Lagoon.
Analysis of ceramic and lithic variability and spatial analysis allowed the
construction of a provisional chronology in need of further testing. Indications are that
there is good potential to construct a robust, high-resolution ceramic chronology by
focussing on carefully controlled surface collection from this sort of location, ceramic
seriation and testing/calibration using direct dating by AMS radiocarbon and
Thermoluminescence.
Data on preservation and archaeological visibility of stilt house settlements along
a sheltered emerging coastline allows preservation and visibility for this type of settlement
to be modeled elsewhere. When such a model is applied to other areas of the Lapita gap,
which are predominantly either less favourable for preservation or less favourable for
archaeological visibility, the gap in the distribution of Lapita can be seen to be an area of
low probability of detection by archaeologists, meaning there is currently no evidence for
absence of settlement in the past, and good reason to think that Lapita was continuously
distributed across Near Oceania as a network of stilt village settlement. This finding
highlights the need for explicit models of probability of detection to discover or read the
Lapita archaeological record.
Keywords: pottery; Lapita; formation processes; surface archaeology; tidal archaeology;
Oceani
