Acute recreational drug toxicity in the Emergency Department
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Confirmation of the recreational drugs and novel psychoactive substances present in a cohort of symptomatic patients presenting to an Urban Emergency Department (ED) with acute recreational drug toxicity
IRAS ID
168101
Contact name
Paul Dargan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Recreational drug use is common in the UK, there has been a significant change in the drugs used in the UK and elsewhere in the world in the last ten years with increasing availability of different novel psychoactive substances (NPS, sometimes known as ‘legal highs’).
There is limited population level data on the prevalence of NPS use. Thus, data largely comes from sub-population surveys with inherent limitations. There is limited systematic collection of data on acute recreational drug toxicity in Europe. Further, there is significant variation in the content of recreational drugs available, belying the importance of biological samples to confirm types of drugs responsible for toxicity.
Symptomatic patients relating to acute recreational drug/NPS toxicity presenting to the ED, and who have had a U&E (Urea and electrolyte) sample taken as part of routine clinical care, will be identified by our team of researchers. The otherwise discarded serum from this sample, will be used to test for the presence of any recreational drugs.
Clinicians in the emergency department will not be involved in the research.
These samples will then be transported to the Clinical Toxicology department laboratory where a unique study number will be assigned. Additionally, clinical data concerning the sample will be added to a minimum dataset collection tool on individual cases. Following this, all patient identifiable data will be destroyed and the samples will be anonymised. No patient identifiable data would be stored linking the patient.
There have been no large studies to date that have screened for recreational drugs and NPS in presentations to the Emergency Department with acute drug toxicity.
This study will help improve the ability of both clinicians and legislative authorities to undertake evidence based harm minimisation strategies, education of users and clinicians, drug control advocacy and shaping of health care policy decisions.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/YH/1293
Date of REC Opinion
28 Nov 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion