Svetla Slavova1, Alison Miller2, Terry L Bunn3, Jessica R White4, David Kirschke5, Tom Light6, Daniel Christy6, Gary Thompson6, Ruth Winecker7. 1. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA. Electronic address: ssslav2@email.uky.edu. 2. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Raleigh, NC, USA. 3. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA. 4. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; Office of Epidemiology, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Phoenix, AZ, USA. 5. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; Tennessee Department of Health, Northeast Regional Health Office, Johnson City, TN, USA. 6. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; West Virginia Health Statistics Center, A Unit of The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, WV, USA. 7. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Overdose Subcommittee, USA; University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to establish and compare baseline data on the prevalence of gabapentin identified through postmortem toxicology testing among drug overdose decedents in several geographically diverse states/jurisdictions with differing levels of drug overdose fatality burdens in 2015. METHODS: Death certificates and postmortem toxicology result reports from five U.S. jurisdictions were used to identify residents who died from drug overdoses in year 2015 and to calculate prevalence rates of gabapentin in postmortem toxicology by jurisdiction. RESULTS: On average, 22% of all drug overdose decedents in our study tested positive for gabapentin. The percentage of gabapentin-positive overdose deaths varied significantly among jurisdictions: 4% in Northeast Tennessee, 7% in Maricopa County, 15% in West Virginia, 20% in North Carolina, and 41% in Kentucky (p < 0.0001). Among the drug overdose decedents who tested positive for opioids (including heroin), 26% also tested positive for gabapentin, with significant variation among states/jurisdictions (p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference in the gender distribution among drug overdose decedents who tested positive for gabapentin (46% male) vs. those who tested negative for gabapentin (65% male) (p < 0.0001). In Kentucky, gabapentin was listed as a contributing drug on the death certificate in 40% of the overdose deaths with gabapentin-positive toxicology; in North Carolina this percentage was 57%. CONCLUSIONS: Routine gabapentin postmortem testing and linking of death certificate, medical examiner, coroner, toxicology, and prescription history data will provide more reliable information on the extent of gabapentin misuse, diversion, and implications for clinical care.
BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to establish and compare baseline data on the prevalence of gabapentin identified through postmortem toxicology testing among drug overdose decedents in several geographically diverse states/jurisdictions with differing levels of drug overdose fatality burdens in 2015. METHODS: Death certificates and postmortem toxicology result reports from five U.S. jurisdictions were used to identify residents who died from drug overdoses in year 2015 and to calculate prevalence rates of gabapentin in postmortem toxicology by jurisdiction. RESULTS: On average, 22% of all drug overdose decedents in our study tested positive for gabapentin. The percentage of gabapentin-positive overdose deaths varied significantly among jurisdictions: 4% in Northeast Tennessee, 7% in Maricopa County, 15% in West Virginia, 20% in North Carolina, and 41% in Kentucky (p < 0.0001). Among the drug overdose decedents who tested positive for opioids (including heroin), 26% also tested positive for gabapentin, with significant variation among states/jurisdictions (p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference in the gender distribution among drug overdose decedents who tested positive for gabapentin (46% male) vs. those who tested negative for gabapentin (65% male) (p < 0.0001). In Kentucky, gabapentin was listed as a contributing drug on the death certificate in 40% of the overdose deaths with gabapentin-positive toxicology; in North Carolina this percentage was 57%. CONCLUSIONS: Routine gabapentin postmortem testing and linking of death certificate, medical examiner, coroner, toxicology, and prescription history data will provide more reliable information on the extent of gabapentin misuse, diversion, and implications for clinical care.
Authors: Elizabeth A Ibiloye; Jamie C Barner; Kenneth A Lawson; Karen L Rascati; Kirk E Evoy; Alyssa M Peckham Journal: Clin Drug Investig Date: 2021-02-12 Impact factor: 2.859
Authors: Theresa W Kim; Jeffrey H Samet; Sara Lodi; Simeon D Kimmel; Leah S Forman; Marlene C Lira; Jane M Liebschutz; Emily C Williams; Alexander Y Walley Journal: AIDS Behav Date: 2022-06-23
Authors: Jennifer R Havens; Hannah K Knudsen; April M Young; Michelle R Lofwall; Sharon L Walsh Journal: Prev Med Date: 2020-07-09 Impact factor: 4.018
Authors: Louisa Degenhardt; Jason Grebely; Jack Stone; Matthew Hickman; Peter Vickerman; Brandon D L Marshall; Julie Bruneau; Frederick L Altice; Graeme Henderson; Afarin Rahimi-Movaghar; Sarah Larney Journal: Lancet Date: 2019-10-23 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Svetla Slavova; Chris Delcher; Jeannine M Buchanich; Terry L Bunn; Bruce A Goldberger; Julia F Costich Journal: Curr Epidemiol Rep Date: 2019-05-02