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Cestonaro C, Terranova C, Carollo M, Russo A, Rosa-Rizzotto M, Viel G, Favretto D, Aprile A. Hair toxicological analysis of infants and their mothers: a 5-year retrospective study focusing on cocaine. Int J Legal Med 2024; 138:1307-1314. [PMID: 38400921 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03180-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal and infant exposure to drugs of abuse is an emerging social and public health problem affecting children health and which may relate to child abuse and neglect. Exposure to drugs of abuse may occur through different routes, including intrauterine, breastfeeding, accidental intake, passive inhalation, and intentional administration. Currently, cases of suspected exposure can be investigated by hair toxicological analysis, the interpretation of which is, however, often difficult, leading to consequent difficulties in the management of such cases. In order to provide a contribution in terms of interpretation of the analytical results, this study aimed to search for the possible existence of elements, from a toxicological point of view, indicative towards the route of exposure. A retrospective study was performed on cases of suspected exposure to drugs of abuse in children aged 0-1 year, evaluated at a University Hospital between 2018 and 2022. Data of children hair toxicological analysis were analyzed and then compared with those of their mothers, when available; 41.6% children tested positive for cocaine. The study found a significant correlation between cocaine and benzoylecgonine concentrations, and a benzoylecgonine/cocaine ratio that tends to decrease as the age of children increases. From the comparison with mothers, a child/mother cocaine concentration ratio lower than 1 was found in all cases of hair sampled within the first week of life, and a ratio greater than or equal to 1 in all cases in which the sampling was performed later. These results, if confirmed in a larger cohort, could represent a contribution in the interpretation of cases of infant exposure to drugs of abuse and be integrated in the context of their multidisciplinary evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Cestonaro
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
| | - Claudio Terranova
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Massimo Carollo
- Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessia Russo
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Melissa Rosa-Rizzotto
- Child Abuse and Neglect Crisis Unit, Paediatrics Department, Padua University Teaching Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Guido Viel
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Donata Favretto
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Anna Aprile
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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2
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Albano GD, La Spina C, Pitingaro W, Milazzo V, Triolo V, Argo A, Malta G, Zerbo S. Intrauterine and Neonatal Exposure to Opioids: Toxicological, Clinical, and Medico-Legal Issues. TOXICS 2023; 11:toxics11010062. [PMID: 36668788 PMCID: PMC9866828 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11010062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Opioids have a rapid transplacental passage (i.e., less than 60 min); furthermore, symptoms characterize the maternal and fetal withdrawal syndrome. Opioid withdrawal significantly impacts the fetus, inducing worse outcomes and a risk of mortality. Moreover, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) follows the delivery, lasts up to 10 weeks, and requires intensive management. Therefore, the prevention and adequate management of NAS are relevant public health issues. This review aims to summarize the most updated evidence in the literature regarding toxicological, clinical, and forensic issues of intrauterine exposure to opioids to provide a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach for managing such issues. Further research is required to standardize testing and to better understand the distribution of opioid derivatives in each specimen type, as well as the clinically relevant cutoff concentrations in quantitative testing results. A multidisciplinary approach is required, with obstetricians, pediatricians, nurses, forensic doctors and toxicologists, social workers, addiction specialists, and politicians all working together to implement social welfare and social services for the baby when needed. The healthcare system should encourage multidisciplinary activity in this field and direct suspected maternal and neonatal opioid intoxication cases to local referral centers.
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3
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Chanal C, Mazurier E, Doray B. Use of Psychoactive Substances during the Perinatal Period: Guidelines for Interventions during the Perinatal Period from the French National College of Midwives. J Midwifery Womens Health 2022; 67 Suppl 1:S17-S37. [PMID: 36480661 DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.13419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Based on their clinical practice and an extensive review of the literature, the authors propose a framework of procedures to be followed to provide services to all women of childbearing age who use psychoactive substances (alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and opioids), especially during pregnancy or during the postpartum and breastfeeding periods, in view of their individual situations and environmental contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Chanal
- Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, CHU Montpellier, 371 avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud cedex 5, Montpellier, 34295, France.,Réseau de Périnatalité Occitanie Espace Henri BERTIN SANS, Bat A, 59 avenue de Fès-34080, Montpellier, France
| | - Evelyne Mazurier
- Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, CHU Montpellier, 371 avenue du Doyen Gaston Giraud cedex 5, Montpellier, 34295, France
| | - Bérénice Doray
- Service de génétique, CHU de La Réunion, allée des Topazes, cedex, 97405, SAINT-DENIS.,Centre Ressource Troubles du Spectre de l'Alcoolisation Fœtale (TSAF) - Fondation Père Favron - 43 rue du Four à Chaux, Saint-Pierre, 97410, Réunion
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4
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Epigenetic Studies for Evaluation of NPS Toxicity: Focus on Synthetic Cannabinoids and Cathinones. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061398. [PMID: 35740419 PMCID: PMC9219842 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In the recent decade, numerous new psychoactive substances (NPSs) have been added to the illicit drug market. These are synthetized to mimic the effects of classic drugs of abuse (i.e., cannabis, cocaine, etc.), with the purpose of bypassing substance legislations and increasing the pharmacotoxicological effects. To date, research into the acute pharmacological effects of new NPSs is ongoing and necessary in order to provide an appropriate contribution to public health. In fact, multiple examples of NPS-related acute intoxication and mortality have been recorded in the literature. Accordingly, several in vitro and in vivo studies have investigated the pharmacotoxicological profiles of these compounds, revealing that they can cause adverse effects involving various organ systems (i.e., cardiovascular, respiratory effects) and highlighting their potential increased consumption risks. In this sense, NPSs should be regarded as a complex issue that requires continuous monitoring. Moreover, knowledge of long-term NPS effects is lacking. Because genetic and environmental variables may impact NPS responses, epigenetics may aid in understanding the processes behind the harmful events induced by long-term NPS usage. Taken together, “pharmacoepigenomics” may provide a new field of combined study on genetic differences and epigenetic changes in drug reactions that might be predictive in forensic implications.
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5
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Pélissier-Alicot AL, Piercecchi MD, Gaulier JM, Allorge D, Sastre C, Baillif-Couniou V, Christia MA, Zuck S, Leonetti G. Risque tératogène de la cocaïne ? À propos d’un cas. TOXICOLOGIE ANALYTIQUE ET CLINIQUE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxac.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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6
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de Almeida Augusto PS, Pereira RLG, Caligiorne SM, Sabato B, Assis BRD, do Espírito Santo LP, Dos Reis KD, Castro Goulart GA, de Fátima Â, de Castro Lourenço das Neves M, Garcia FD. The GNE-KLH anti-cocaine vaccine protects dams and offspring from cocaine-induced effects during the prenatal and lactating periods. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7784-7791. [PMID: 34381172 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01210-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protecting children from prenatal cocaine exposure is a significant challenge for physicians and childbearing women with cocaine use disorder. Cocaine use is highly prevalent among reproductive-aged women and prenatal cocaine exposure produces obstetric, foetal neurodevelopmental and long-term behavioural impairments. Cocaine crosses the maternal and foetal blood-brain barrier and the placenta by diffusion. The best approach to prevent prenatal cocaine exposure is to stop cocaine use. However, only 25% of cocaine users can discontinue their use during pregnancy. Anti-cocaine vaccination decreases cocaine passage through the blood-brain barrier. This study describes an innovative approach for preventing prenatal cocaine exposure using the GNE-KLH anti-cocaine vaccine, a novel use for the named anti-drug vaccines. Here, we show that anti-cocaine vaccination with GNE-KLH produced and maintained anti-cocaine IgG antibody titres and avidity during pregnancy. These antibodies protected the pregnant rats and their pups against prenatal cocaine damage during pregnancy until weaning. The present work is the first preclinical evidence of the efficacy of an innovative mechanism to prevent prenatal cocaine exposure damage, a worldwide public health care issue. In the future, this mechanism may be useful in pregnant women with cocaine use disorder. Further studies to understand the mechanisms of how anti-cocaine antibodies exert their protective effects in pregnancy are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Sérgio de Almeida Augusto
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Medicina Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raissa Lima Gonçalves Pereira
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Medicina Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Sordaini Maria Caligiorne
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Brian Sabato
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Bruna Rodrigues Dias Assis
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Larissa Pires do Espírito Santo
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Medicina Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Karine Dias Dos Reis
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Gisele Assis Castro Goulart
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ângelo de Fátima
- Grupo de Estudos em Química Orgânica e Biológica (GEQOB), Departament of Chemistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerias (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Maila de Castro Lourenço das Neves
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Medicina Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Frederico Duarte Garcia
- Centre of Research on Health Vulnerability (Núcleo de Pesquisa em Vulnerabilidade e Saúde - NAVES), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, sala 240, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. .,Pós-graduação em Medicina Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. .,Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Avenida Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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7
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Ferreira AB, Lobo Castro A, Tarelho S, Domingues P, Franco JM. GC-MS – Still standing for clinical and forensic analysis: validation of a multidrug method to detect and quantify illicit drugs. AUST J FORENSIC SCI 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00450618.2021.1964598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Ferreira
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Oporto, Portugal
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - André Lobo Castro
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Oporto, Portugal
- ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sónia Tarelho
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Oporto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Domingues
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João Miguel Franco
- National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Oporto, Portugal
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8
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Acute psychiatric illness and drug addiction during pregnancy and the puerperium. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021. [PMID: 32768084 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64240-0.00007-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy and the puerperium do not protect against acute psychiatric illness. During puerperium, the chance of acute psychiatric illness, such as a psychotic episode or relapse of bipolar disorder, is greatly increased. Suicide is a leading cause of maternal death. Both psychiatric disease and ongoing drug addiction impact not only the pregnant woman's somatic and mental health but also impact short-term and long-term health of the child. Indeed, prompt recognition and expeditious treatment of acute psychiatric illness during pregnancy and the puerperium optimize health outcomes for two patients. Pregnancy and puerperium represent a stage of life of great physiologic adaptations, as well as emotional and social changes. This conjunction of changes in somatic, emotional health and social health may mitigate the occurrence, clinical presentation, and clinical course of acute psychiatric illness and call for a multidisciplinary approach, taking into account both the medical and social domains. This chapter describes acute psychiatric illnesses during pregnancy and the puerperium and illicit substance abuse, from a clinical perspective, while also describing general principles of diagnosis and clinical management during this stage of life, which is an important window of opportunity for both the pregnant woman and the child.
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9
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The role of mitochondria in cocaine addiction. Biochem J 2021; 478:749-764. [PMID: 33626141 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20200615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of cocaine abuse is increasing especially in the U.K. where the rates are among the highest in Europe. In addition to its role as a psychostimulant, cocaine has profound effect on brain metabolism, impacting glycolysis and impairing oxidative phosphorylation. Cocaine exposure alters metabolic gene expression and protein networks in brain regions including the prefrontal cortex, the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens, the principal nuclei of the brain reward system. Here, we focus on how cocaine impacts mitochondrial function, in particular through alterations in electron transport chain function, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative stress (OS), mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy. Finally, we describe the impact of cocaine on brain energy metabolism in the developing brain following prenatal exposure. The plethora of mitochondrial functions altered following cocaine exposure suggest that therapies maintaining mitochondrial functional integrity may hold promise in mitigating cocaine pathology and addiction.
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10
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Testing Unconventional Matrices to Monitor for Prenatal Exposure to Heroin, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Synthetic Cathinones, and Synthetic Opioids. Ther Drug Monit 2021; 42:205-221. [PMID: 31809406 DOI: 10.1097/ftd.0000000000000719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of drug use during pregnancy continues to increase despite the associated serious adverse obstetrical outcomes, including increased risk of miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, brain development impairment, neonatal abstinence syndrome, preterm delivery, and stillbirths. Monitoring drug use during pregnancy is crucial to limit prenatal exposure and provide suitable obstetrical health care. The authors reviewed published literature reporting the concentrations of common drugs of abuse and new psychoactive substances (NPS), such as synthetic cathinones and synthetic opioids, NPS, and their metabolites using unconventional matrices to identify drug use during pregnancy and improve data interpretation. METHODS A literature search was performed from 2010 to July 2019 using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science scientific databases, and reports from international institutions to review recently published articles on heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, synthetic cathinone, and synthetic opioid monitoring during pregnancy. RESULTS Meconium has been tested for decades to document prenatal exposure to drugs, but data regarding drug concentrations in amniotic fluid, the placenta, the umbilical cord, and neonatal hair are still lacking. Data on prenatal exposure to NPS are limited. CONCLUSIONS Maternal hair testing is the most sensitive alternative matrix for identifying drug use during pregnancy, while drug concentrations in the meconium, placenta, and umbilical cord offer the identification of prenatal drug exposure at birth. Adverse developmental outcomes for the infant make it critical to promptly identify maternal drug use to limit fetal exposure or, if determined at birth, to provide resources to the exposed child and family. Alternative matrices offer choices for monitoring and challenge laboratories to deliver highly sensitive and specific analytical methods for detection.
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11
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Edelson PK, Bernstein SN. Management of the Cardiovascular Complications of Substance Use Disorders During Pregnancy. CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE 2019; 21:73. [PMID: 31754867 DOI: 10.1007/s11936-019-0777-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Substance use disorder in pregnancy and subsequent cardiovascular complications are on the rise in the USA. The care of pregnant women with substance use disorder is complex, and requires a thorough understanding of mechanisms of action, pathophysiology, and cardiovascular response during pregnancy. The goal of this review is to provide information about the most common drugs of abuse in pregnancy and to recommend management guidelines. RECENT FINDINGS Pregnant women with substance use disorder are at increased risk of significant cardiovascular complications, both as a direct effect of acute intoxication as well as the secondary risk from infection and cardiotoxicity associated with chronic use. This risk must be considered in the antepartum management, delivery, and postpartum periods. Understanding the increased cardiovascular risk of pregnant women with substance use disorder, as well as specific drug interactions, anesthesia considerations, best practices, and management considerations, is important for all clinicians caring for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Kaitlyn Edelson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Founders 4, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
| | - Sarah N Bernstein
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Founders 4, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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12
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Gkioka E, Korou LM, Daskalopoulou A, Misitzi A, Batsidis E, Bakoyiannis I, Pergialiotis V. Prenatal cocaine exposure and its impact on cognitive functions of offspring: a pathophysiological insight. Rev Neurosci 2018; 27:523-34. [PMID: 26953708 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2015-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
It is estimated that approximately 0.5%-3% of fetuses are prenatally exposed to cocaine (COC). The neurodevelopmental implications of this exposure are numerous and include motor skill impairments, alterations of social function, predisposition to anxiety, and memory function and attention deficits; these implications are commonly observed in experimental studies and ultimately affect both learning and IQ. According to previous studies, the clinical manifestations of prenatal COC exposure seem to persist at least until adolescence. The pathophysiological cellular processes that underlie these impairments include dysfunctional myelination, disrupted dendritic architecture, and synaptic alterations. On a molecular level, various neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, catecholamines, and γ-aminobutyric acid seem to participate in this process. Finally, prenatal COC abuse has been also associated with functional changes in the hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that mediate neuroendocrine responses. The purpose of this review is to summarize the neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal COC abuse, to describe the pathophysiological pathways that underlie these consequences, and to provide implications for future research in the field.
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13
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Parcianello RR, Mardini V, Ceresér KMM, Langleben DD, Xavier F, Zavaschi MLS, Rhode LAP, Pechansky F, Gubert C, Szobot CM. Increased cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript cord blood levels in the newborns exposed to crack cocaine in utero. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:215-222. [PMID: 29080905 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4759-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) is an endogenous antioxidant present since the embryonic period. CART is activated by high levels of dopamine and might be of interested in understanding the changes in the REDOX system associated with crack/cocaine intake. The goal of this study was to determine whether exposure to crack in utero is associated with increased CART levels. METHODS In this cross-sectional study with consecutive sampling, we compared the umbilical cord blood (UCB) CART levels (μg/mL) of newborns exposed to crack/cocaine in utero (EN, n = 57) to levels in non-exposed newborns (NEN, n = 99). In addition, we compared serum CART levels between EN and NEN mothers, in the immediate postpartum period. Potential confounders, such as perinatal data (e.g., weight, Apgar, etc.), psychopathology (DSM-IV), and use of drugs other than crack (ASSIST) were assessed. RESULTS According to general linear model analysis, the adjusted mean CART was significantly higher in EN (0.180, 95% CI 0.088-0.272) than in NEN (0.048, 95% CI 0.020-0.076; p < 0.002; d = 0.68). The difference in CART levels between EN and NEN mothers was not significant (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION The increase in CART levels in EN UBC suggests a response to crack/cocaine-induced oxidative stress during gestational period, as a potential attempt of neuroprotection. In adult women in puerperium, however, this endogenous antioxidant recruitment does not seem to operate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Ritter Parcianello
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Victor Mardini
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 4° andar, sala 400N, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Keila Maria Mendes Ceresér
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), HCPA, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Daniel D Langleben
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Fernando Xavier
- Program in Biomedical Sciences, Centro Universitário Metodista-IPA, Rua Dona Leonor, 340, Rio Branco, Porto Alegre, RS, 90420-004, Brazil
| | - Maria Lucrécia Scherer Zavaschi
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 4° andar, sala 400N, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil
| | - Luis Augusto Paim Rhode
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 4° andar, sala 400N, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento (INPD), Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, 1° andar, sala 6, Ala Sul, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, 05403-010, Brazil
- Department of Psychiatry, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Flávio Pechansky
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
- Department of Psychiatry, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
- Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, HCPA, UFRGS, Rua Professor Álvaro Alvim, 400, Rio Branco, Porto Alegre, RS, 90420-020, Brazil
| | - Carolina Gubert
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), HCPA, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biological Sicences, Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil
| | - Claudia Maciel Szobot
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil.
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, 4° andar, sala 400N, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-903, Brazil.
- Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, HCPA, UFRGS, Rua Professor Álvaro Alvim, 400, Rio Branco, Porto Alegre, RS, 90420-020, Brazil.
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Mardini V, Rohde LA, Ceresér KM, Gubert CM, Silva EGD, Xavier F, Parcianello R, Röhsig LM, Pechansky F, Szobot CM. TBARS and BDNF levels in newborns exposed to crack/cocaine during pregnancy: a comparative study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 39:263-266. [PMID: 28273279 PMCID: PMC7111386 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2016-2035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: To compare levels of a marker of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in umbilical cord blood (UCB) between newborns exposed to crack/cocaine in utero (exposed newborns [EN], n=57) and non-exposed newborns (NEN, n=99), as well as in maternal peripheral blood at delivery. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Potential confounders, including perinatal parameters, psychopathology, and use of other substances, were assessed. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, adjusted mean BDNF was significantly higher in EN (3.86 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 2.29-5.43) than in NEN (0.85 ng/mL, 95%CI 0.47-1.23; p < 0.001; Cohen effect size: 1.12), and significantly lower in crack/cocaine mothers than in control mothers (4.03 ng/mL, 95%CI 2.87-5.18 vs. 6.67 ng/mL, 95%CI 5.60-7.74; p = 0.006). The adjusted mean TBARS level was significantly lower in EN (63.97 µM MDA, 95%CI 39.43-88.50) than NEN (177.04 µM MDA, 95%CI 140.93-213.14; p < 0.001; effect size = 0.84), with no difference between mother groups (p = 0.86). Conclusions: The changes in TBARS levels observed in EN suggest that fetuses exposed to cocaine mobilize endogenous antioxidant routes since very early stages of development. The increase in BDNF levels in EN might indicate changes in fetal development, whereas the changes in BDNF levels in mothers provide evidence of the complex metabolic processes involved in drug use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Mardini
- Serviço de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Luis A Rohde
- Serviço de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria do Desenvolvimento (INPD), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Keila M Ceresér
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carolina M Gubert
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Emily G da Silva
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fernando Xavier
- Faculdade de Ciências Biomédicas, Centro Universitário Metodista IPA, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Parcianello
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Liane M Röhsig
- Unidade de Criobiologia, Banco de Cordão Umbilical e Placentário, HCPA, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Flávio Pechansky
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Centro de Pesquisa em Álcool e Drogas, HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Claudia M Szobot
- Serviço de Psiquiatria da Infância e Adolescência (SPIA), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina: Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Centro de Pesquisa em Álcool e Drogas, HCPA, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Mardini V, Rohde LA, Ceresér KMM, Gubert CDM, da Silva EG, Xavier F, Parcianello R, Röhsig LM, Pechansky F, Pianca TG, Szobot CM. IL-6 and IL-10 levels in the umbilical cord blood of newborns with a history of crack/cocaine exposure in utero: a comparative study. TRENDS IN PSYCHIATRY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY 2017; 38:40-9. [PMID: 27074340 DOI: 10.1590/2237-6089-2015-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) is associated with neurobehavioral problems during childhood and adolescence. Early activation of the inflammatory response may contribute to such changes. Our aim was to compare inflammatory markers (IL-6 and IL-10) both in umbilical cord blood and in maternal peripheral blood at delivery between newborns with history of crack/cocaine exposure in utero and non-exposed newborns. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 57 newborns with a history of crack/cocaine exposure in utero (EN) and 99 non-exposed newborns (NEN) were compared for IL-6 and IL-10 levels. Sociodemographic and perinatal data, maternal psychopathology, consumption of nicotine and other substances were systematically collected in cases and controls. RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, mean IL-6 was significantly higher in EN than in NEN (10,208.54, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1,328.54-19,088.55 vs. 2,323.03, 95%CI 1,484.64-3,161.21; p = 0.007; generalized linear model [GLM]). Mean IL-10 was also significantly higher in EN than in NEN (432.22, 95%CI 51.44-812.88 vs. 75.52, 95%CI 5.64-145.39, p = 0.014; GLM). Adjusted postpartum measures of IL-6 were significantly higher in mothers with a history of crack/cocaine use (25,160.05, 95%CI 10,958.15-39,361.99 vs. 8,902.14, 95%CI 5,774.97-12,029.32; p = 0.007; GLM), with no significant differences for IL-10. There was no correlation between maternal and neonatal cytokine levels (Spearman test, p ≥ 0.28 for all measures). CONCLUSIONS IL-6 and IL-10 might be early biomarkers of PCE in newborns. These findings could help to elucidate neurobiological pathways underlying neurodevelopmental changes and broaden the range of possibilities for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Mardini
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Emily Galvão da Silva
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Medicina Translacional, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Flávio Pechansky
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Scott-Goodwin A, Puerto M, Moreno I. Toxic effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Reprod Toxicol 2016; 61:120-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Riley E, Kopotiyenko K, Zhdanova I. Prenatal and acute cocaine exposure affects neural responses and habituation to visual stimuli. Front Neural Circuits 2015; 9:41. [PMID: 26379509 PMCID: PMC4548223 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2015.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulants have many effects on visual function, from adverse following acute and prenatal exposure to therapeutic on attention deficit. To determine the impact of prenatal and acute cocaine exposure on visual processing, we studied neuronal responses to visual stimuli in two brain regions of a transgenic larval zebrafish expressing the calcium indicator GCaMP-HS. We found that both red light (LF) and dark (DF) flashes elicited similar responses in the optic tectum neuropil (TOn), while the dorsal telencephalon (dTe) responded only to LF. Acute cocaine (0.5 μM) reduced neuronal responses to LF in both brain regions but did not affect responses to DF. Repeated stimulus presentation (RSP) led to habituation of dTe neurons to LF. Acute cocaine prevented habituation. TOn habituated to DF, but not LF, and DF habituation was not modified by cocaine. Remarkably, prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) prevented the effects of acute cocaine on LF response amplitude and habituation later in development in both brain regions, but did not affect DF responses. We discovered that, in spite of similar neural responses to LF and DF in the TO (superior colliculus in mammals), responses to LF are more complex, involving dTe (homologous to the cerebral cortex), and are more vulnerable to cocaine. Our results demonstrate that acute cocaine exposure affects visual processing differentially by brain region, and that PCE modifies zebrafish visual processing in multiple structures in a stimulus-dependent manner. These findings are in accordance with the major role that the optic tectum and cerebral cortex play in sustaining visual attention, and support the hypothesis that modification of these areas by PCE may be responsible for visual deficits noted in humans. This model offers new methodological approaches for studying the adverse and therapeutic effects of psychostimulants on attention, and for the development of new pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Riley
- Boston University Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
| | - Konstantin Kopotiyenko
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irina Zhdanova
- Boston University Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA ; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine Boston, MA, USA
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Abstract
Despite multiple efforts to reduce the use of illicit drugs, the epidemic of addiction continues to be a significant public health issue. Through its easy availability, the number of people afflicted with this addiction continues to rise, including women of childbearing age. Secondarily, any health care crisis that occurs in this age group of women will have potential implications in pregnancy, infancy, and childhood. The use of cocaine alone or in conjunction with other illicit drugs, combined with the normal physiological cardiovascular changes in pregnancy, leads to a myriad of pathophysiological changes, thereby placing the life of the pregnant cocaine user, as well as the health status of their unborn fetus and neonate at risk for adverse outcomes. As more data are available, the long-term physical, mental, and developmental sequelae for children exposed to cocaine in utero prove that this public health crisis has serious implications. The pregnancy-specific maternal, fetal, and neonatal risks of cocaine use during the antepartum period are reviewed.
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