TY - JOUR
T1 - Unexpected Serotonin Syndrome, Epileptic Seizures, and Cerebral Edema Following 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromophenethylamine Ingestion
AU - Spoelder, Antoinette S.
AU - Louwerens, Jan K. G.
AU - Krens, Stefanie D.
AU - Jager, Nynke
AU - LeCouffe, Natalie E.
AU - de Ruijter, Wouter
AU - Brunt, Tibor M.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) is a designer drug. In Europe, 2C-B is easily obtained and used for recreational purposes. It is known for its stimulating effects similar to those of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, although in higher doses it has more hallucinogenic effects. Here, we report a case of 2C-B ingestion, confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in an 18-year-old man. The neurological consequences were severe, including the development of serotonin syndrome and severe brain edema. Supportive therapy resulted in a stable condition, although, after several months, the patient still suffered from severe neurological impairment due to the drug-induced toxicity. This case showed that 2C-B could not be identified with the drugs of abuse screening routinely used in Dutch hospitals. The use of 2C-B carries many risks, with potentially profound neurological damage, that both consumers and healthcare physicians are unaware of.
AB - 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) is a designer drug. In Europe, 2C-B is easily obtained and used for recreational purposes. It is known for its stimulating effects similar to those of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, although in higher doses it has more hallucinogenic effects. Here, we report a case of 2C-B ingestion, confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, in an 18-year-old man. The neurological consequences were severe, including the development of serotonin syndrome and severe brain edema. Supportive therapy resulted in a stable condition, although, after several months, the patient still suffered from severe neurological impairment due to the drug-induced toxicity. This case showed that 2C-B could not be identified with the drugs of abuse screening routinely used in Dutch hospitals. The use of 2C-B carries many risks, with potentially profound neurological damage, that both consumers and healthcare physicians are unaware of.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85074264886&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31643086
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14214
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14214
M3 - Article
C2 - 31643086
SN - 0022-1198
VL - 64
SP - 1950
EP - 1952
JO - Journal of forensic sciences
JF - Journal of forensic sciences
IS - 6
ER -