1
|
Whitledge JD, Watson CJ, Burns MM. Chronic Doxepin Toxicity Masquerading as Epilepsy in a 10-Year-Old Boy. J Med Toxicol 2023; 19:405-410. [PMID: 37682427 PMCID: PMC10522553 DOI: 10.1007/s13181-023-00966-y] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic tricyclic antidepressant toxicity is rarely described in children. Symptoms include confusion, ataxia, and seizures. Toxicity may result from dosing error, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 genetic variability, and drug-drug interactions. Chronic doxepin toxicity has not been previously reported in children. Doxepin is prescribed for insomnia and depression, with a maximum off-label dose of 3 mg/kg in children. We present a case of chronic doxepin toxicity mimicking epilepsy in a child attributable to three potential factors: supratherapeutic dosing, pharmacogenomic variability, and drug-drug interactions. CASE REPORT A 10-year-old boy with insomnia, diagnosed with epilepsy 6 months prior, presented to an emergency department with confusion, ataxia, and increasing seizure frequency. He was prescribed doxepin for insomnia and four antiepileptics for seizures. After admission, he had two seizures and remained confused. EKGs showed QRS prolongation, suggesting doxepin toxicity. Doxepin-nordoxepin combined serum concentration was 1419 ng/mL (therapeutic 100-300 ng/mL), confirming doxepin toxicity. Outpatient records showed onset of confusion and seizures as doxepin dose was gradually uptitrated to 300 mg nightly (4.41 mg/kg). Symptoms worsened following addition of clobazam (CYP2D6 inhibitor) and topiramate (CYP2C19 inhibitor). Following doxepin discontinuation, all symptoms resolved. CYP2D6 testing showed intermediate metabolizer phenotype (CYP2D6*1/*4; activity score = 1.0; copy number = 2.0). No seizures have occurred in more than one year since doxepin discontinuation. DISCUSSION Caution must be exercised when prescribing doxepin. Pharmacogenomics, dose, drug-drug interactions, and age should be considered. Chronic toxicity should be contemplated in patients taking doxepin without acute overdose who present with persistent neurologic abnormalities including seizure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James D Whitledge
- Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - C James Watson
- Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
| | - Michele M Burns
- Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sanello A, Gausche-Hill M, Mulkerin W, Sporer KA, Brown JF, Koenig KL, Rudnick EM, Salvucci AA, Gilbert GH. Altered Mental Status: Current Evidence-based Recommendations for Prehospital Care. West J Emerg Med 2018; 19:527-541. [PMID: 29760852 PMCID: PMC5942021 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2018.1.36559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the United States emergency medical services (EMS) protocols vary widely across jurisdictions. We sought to develop evidence-based recommendations for the prehospital evaluation and treatment of a patient with an acute change in mental status and to compare these recommendations against the current protocols used by the 33 EMS agencies in the State of California. Methods We performed a literature review of the current evidence in the prehospital treatment of a patient with altered mental status (AMS) and augmented this review with guidelines from various national and international societies to create our evidence-based recommendations. We then compared the AMS protocols of each of the 33 EMS agencies for consistency with these recommendations. The specific protocol components that we analyzed were patient assessment, point-of-care tests, supplemental oxygen, use of standardized scoring, evaluating for causes of AMS, blood glucose evaluation, toxicological treatment, and pediatric evaluation and management. Results Protocols across 33 EMS agencies in California varied widely. All protocols call for a blood glucose check, 21 (64%) suggest treating adults at <60mg/dL, and half allow for the use of dextrose 10%. All the protocols recommend naloxone for signs of opioid overdose, but only 13 (39%) give specific parameters. Half the agencies (52%) recommend considering other toxicological causes of AMS, often by using the mnemonic AEIOU TIPS. Eight (24%) recommend a 12-lead electrocardiogram; others simply suggest cardiac monitoring. Fourteen (42%) advise supplemental oxygen as needed; only seven (21%) give specific parameters. In terms of considering various etiologies of AMS, 25 (76%) give instructions to consider trauma, 20 (61%) to consider stroke, and 18 (55%) to consider seizure. Twenty-three (70%) of the agencies have separate pediatric AMS protocols; others include pediatric considerations within the adult protocol. Conclusion Protocols for patients with AMS vary widely across the State of California. The evidence-based recommendations that we present for the prehospital diagnosis and treatment of this condition may be useful for EMS medical directors tasked with creating and revising these protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Sanello
- Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, Santa Fe Springs, California.,David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marianne Gausche-Hill
- Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency, Santa Fe Springs, California.,Harbor UCLA, Department of Emergency Medicine, Torrance, California.,David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Los Angeles, California.,EMS Medical Directors Association of California
| | - William Mulkerin
- Stanford University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Karl A Sporer
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, California.,EMS Medical Directors Association of California
| | - John F Brown
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Francisco, California.,EMS Medical Directors Association of California
| | - Kristi L Koenig
- EMS Medical Directors Association of California.,County of San Diego, Health & Human Services Agency, Emergency Medical Services, San Diego, California.,University of California, Irvine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Orange, California
| | - Eric M Rudnick
- EMS Medical Directors Association of California.,NorCal EMS Agency, Redding, California
| | - Angelo A Salvucci
- EMS Medical Directors Association of California.,Ventura County EMS Agency, Oxnard, California
| | - Gregory H Gilbert
- EMS Medical Directors Association of California.,Stanford University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford, California
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Aka I, Bernal CJ, Carroll R, Maxwell-Horn A, Oshikoya KA, Van Driest SL. Clinical Pharmacogenetics of Cytochrome P450-Associated Drugs in Children. J Pers Med 2017; 7:jpm7040014. [PMID: 29099060 PMCID: PMC5748626 DOI: 10.3390/jpm7040014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are commonly involved in drug metabolism, and genetic variation in the genes encoding CYPs are associated with variable drug response. While genotype-guided therapy has been clinically implemented in adults, these associations are less well established for pediatric patients. In order to understand the frequency of pediatric exposures to drugs with known CYP interactions, we compiled all actionable drug-CYP interactions with a high level of evidence using Clinical Pharmacogenomic Implementation Consortium (CPIC) data and surveyed 10 years of electronic health records (EHR) data for the number of children exposed to CYP-associated drugs. Subsequently, we performed a focused literature review for drugs commonly used in pediatrics, defined as more than 5000 pediatric patients exposed in the decade-long EHR cohort. There were 48 drug-CYP interactions with a high level of evidence in the CPIC database. Of those, only 10 drugs were commonly used in children (ondansetron, oxycodone, codeine, omeprazole, lansoprazole, sertraline, amitriptyline, citalopram, escitalopram, and risperidone). For these drugs, reports of the drug-CYP interaction in cohorts including children were sparse. There are adequate data for implementation of genotype-guided therapy for children for three of the 10 commonly used drugs (codeine, omeprazole and lansoprazole). For the majority of commonly used drugs with known CYP interactions, more data are required to support pharmacogenomic implementation in children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ida Aka
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Christiana J Bernal
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Robert Carroll
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Angela Maxwell-Horn
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Kazeem A Oshikoya
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Sara L Van Driest
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| |
Collapse
|