Tuyển tập báo cáo các nghiên cứu khoa học quốc tế ngành y học dành cho các bạn tham khảo đề tài: Acute heroin intoxication in a baby chronically exposed to cocaine and heroin: a case report. | Joya et al. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2011 5 288 http content 5 1 288 JOURNAL OF MEDICAL CASE REPORTS CASE REPORT Open Access Acute heroin intoxication in a baby chronically exposed to cocaine and heroin a case report Xavier Joya 1 Bibiana Friguls1 Marta Simó2 Ester Civit3 Rafael de la Torre3 Antonio Palomeque2 Oriol Vail1 Simona Pichini4 and Oscar Garcia-Algar1 Abstract Introduction Acute intoxication with drugs of abuse in children is often only the tip of the iceberg actually hiding chronic exposure. Analysis using non-conventional matrices such as hair can provide long-term information about exposure to recreational drugs. Case presentation We report the case of a one-month-old Caucasian boy admitted to our pediatric emergency unit with respiratory distress and neurological abnormalities. A routine urine test was positive for opiates suggesting an acute opiate ingestion. No other drugs of misuse such as cocaine cannabis amphetamines or derivatives were detected in the baby s urine. Subsequently hair samples from the baby and the parents were collected to evaluate the possibility of chronic exposure to drug misuse by segmental analysis. Opiates and cocaine metabolites were detected in hair samples from the baby boy and his parents. Conclusions In light of these and previous results we recommend hair analysis in babies and children from risky environments to detect exposure to heroin and other drug misuse which could provide the basis for specific social and health interventions. Introduction During the past two decades there has been a substantial increase in illicit drug consumption in Europe particularly in Mediterranean areas such as Spain 1 . It has been proven repeatedly that questionnaires with respect to drug use are far from being accurate 2 . For this reason in addition to questionnaires it is advisable to use an objective biological marker that maintains its sensitivity for at least a few days after the end of the .
