Publications (20) View all
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Article: Long-term stability of GHB in post-mortem samples and samples from living persons, stored at -20°C, using fluoride preservatives.
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ABSTRACT: Reanalyses are frequently requested in forensic toxicology, and knowledge of the stability of drugs in biological samples is of major importance for the interpretation of the toxicological findings. Currently, the literature on stability of gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) in blood samples from living subjects and in post-mortem blood is limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term stability of GHB in both blood samples from persons suspected of drug use and post-mortem blood samples. A total of 59 reanalyses were performed in whole blood samples, 27 samples from living subjects and 32 samples taken at autopsies. The samples were stored in the freezer between 0.4 and 7.2 years at -20°C in vials containing preservatives. Analyses were performed by GC-FID, and cut-off level was 10.3 mg/L. The concentrations in 22 of the samples were below cut-off. The mean change in concentration between initial analysis and reanalysis was -0.8% for the positive samples from living persons and -7.1% for the positive post-mortem samples. Changes ranged from -32.4% to 21.0% for samples from living and from -30.4% to 34.4% for post-mortem samples. All negative samples were still negative at the time of reanalysis. Reanalysis of these forensic whole blood samples stored several years at -20°C with fluoride preservation did not exhibit changes in GHB concentrations of practical significance for the interpretation of toxicological findings.Forensic science international 05/2012; 222(1-3):47-51. · 2.10 Impact Factor -
Article: Syntetiske cannabinoider - effekt og forekomst
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ABSTRACT: Bakgrunn. «Spice» er betegnelsen på ulike produkter som inneholder syntetiske cannabinoider. I de senere år er det rapportert et økende antall slike produkter på det illegale markedet, også i Norge. Stoffene selges over Internett som «lovlig» cannabis. Flere av dem er etter hvert blitt narkotikaklassifisert, også her i landet, men stadig nye varianter utvikles. Vi gir her en oversikt over hva man i dag vet om forekomsten av syntetiske cannabinoider og deres effekter. Kunnskapsgrunnlag. Oversikten er basert på et skjønnsmessig utvalg av relevante artikler etter litteratursøk i PubMed samt på rapporter fra norske og europeiske myndigheter og forskningsinstitusjoner. Resultater. Syntetiske cannabinoider er en stor gruppe rusmidler som har liknende effekter som cannabis, men som kan være betydelig mer potente. Innholdet i ulike Spice-produkter varierer i potens, renhetsgrad og når det gjelder hvilke stoffer og antall stoffer som er tilsatt. Dette gir risiko for utilsiktet overdose. Fra utlandet er det rapportert om hjerteinfarkt hos tenåringer, alvorlige psykoser, angst, bevisstløshet og dødsfall etter bruk. Fortolkning. Syntetiske cannabinoider markedsføres over Internett som lovlig og ufarlig cannabis, men inntak kan føre til alvorlig intoksikasjon og død.Det er et stort behov for mer kunnskap om virkninger og skadeeffekter av disse stoffene.Tidsskrift for Den norske legeforening 01/2012; 132(20):2285-2288. -
Article: Morphine to codeine concentration ratio in blood and urine as a marker of illicit heroin use in forensic autopsy samples.
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ABSTRACT: A morphine to codeine ratio greater than unity (M/C>1) has been suggested as an indicator of heroin use in living individuals. The aim of this study was to examine the morphine to codeine ratio in a large population (N=2438) of forensically examined autopsy cases positive for 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) and/or morphine in blood and/or urine. Blood and urine concentrations of 6-MAM, morphine and codeine were examined using GC-MS and LC-MS/MS methods. In 6-MAM positive samples, the M/C ratio was greater than unity in 98% (N=917) of the blood samples and 96% (N=665) of the urine samples. Stratification of 6-MAM negative cases by M/C above or below unity revealed similarities in morphine and codeine concentrations in cases where M/C>1 and 6-MAM positive cases. Median blood and urine morphine concentrations were 8-10 times greater than codeine for both groups. Similarly to 6-MAM positive cases, 25-44 year-old men prevailed in the M/C>1 group. In comparison to cases where M/C ≤ 1, the M/C ratio was a hundred times higher in both 6-MAM positive and M/C>1 cases. The range of morphine concentration between the lowest and the highest quintile of codeine in M/C>1 cases was similar to that in 6-MAM positive cases. This range was much higher than for M/C ≤ 1 cases. Moreover, linear regression analyses, adjusted for age and gender, revealed a strong positive association between morphine and codeine in 6-MAM positive and M/C>1 cases. The M/C ratio appeared to be a good marker of heroin use in post-mortem cases. Both blood and urine M/C>1 can be used to separate heroin users from other cases positive for morphine and codeine.Forensic science international 12/2011; 217(1-3):216-21. · 2.10 Impact Factor -
Article: Comparison of the stability of stock solutions of drugs of abuse and other drugs stored in a freezer, refrigerator, and at ambient temperature for up to one year.
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of stock solutions of a variety of illegal and medicinal drugs, important in forensic analysis, when stored refrigerated or at ambient temperature compared to solutions stored in a freezer. Stock solutions in methanol, acetonitrile, or a mixture of acetonitrile/methanol were transferred to autosampler vials and analyzed after storage for one month, three months, six months, and one year at ambient temperature, in a refrigerator, and in a freezer. Some of the compounds investigated, such as morphine and amitriptyline, showed to be stable for at least one year when stored at ambient temperature, but others, such as prometazine and olanzapine, nearly vanished when stored at ambient temperature for one month.Journal of analytical toxicology 10/2011; 35(8):583-90. · 2.02 Impact Factor -
Article: Blood GHB concentrations and results of medical examinations in 25 car drivers in Norway.
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ABSTRACT: information on the clinical effects associated with whole blood gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) concentrations is sparse. We have investigated possible relationships between GHB blood concentrations and clinical effects in car drivers. in Norway, the police stop car drivers suspected of drug-driving. Medical doctors perform a clinical test of impairment (CTI) and blood samples are screened for drugs/medicines by immunological, enzymatic and chromatographic methods at the Division of Forensic Toxicology and Drug Abuse. GHB is a part of our extended drug-testing programme. GHB is standardly measured as GBL by gas chromatographic method. All the results were stored in a database. This database was searched between 2000 and 2007 for car drivers positive only for GHB, called GHB-drivers. A control group with a completely negative blood analysis, including GHB, called control-drivers, was included in the study. twenty-five car drivers had only GHB in their blood. The police reported that 78% showed unsafe driving behaviour and seven were involved in car accidents, without serious injury. A total of 61% of the drivers were found to be sleepy or in an even more reduced state of consciousness. The median GHB blood concentration was 1,262 (range 592-2,191) μmol/L, measured a median of 69 min after the police had stopped the driver from driving. The GHB blood concentration tended to increase with increasing impairment and reduced consciousness. Clinical findings were normal- to large-sized pupils (86%), impairment as the final conclusion (84%), impaired balance/nystagmus (62 and 54%, respectively), congested/shiny conjunctiva (67%), apathetic, aggressive or abnormal behaviour (65%), reduced short-term memory (67%), reduced/absent pupillar reaction to light (65%), heart rate ≤ 70 beats/min (56%), and some level of reduced consciousness (56%). In the control-drivers, 15.6% were found by the medical doctors to have reduced consciousness or impaired. the median GHB blood concentration of the 25 car drivers was high. Most drivers had clinical impairment that was not explainable by injuries, with depressive effects on the central nervous system and sympathomimetic effects on eyes. Effects on impairment and consciousness tended to be concentration-dependent. The number of drivers who were impaired or had reduced consciousness was highly increased in GHB-drivers compared to controls. Based on these results, we conclude that the GHB-drivers most probably drove in an unsafe manner due to impairment by GHB.European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 10/2010; 66(10):987-98. · 2.85 Impact Factor
