PubMed Update April 2013

10 papers this time. Good stuff.

1. Take-Home Emergency Naloxone to Prevent Heroin Overdose Deaths after Prison Release: Rationale and Practicalities for the N-ALIVE Randomized Trial.

Strang J, Bird SM, Parmar MK.

J Urban Health. 2013 May 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Comment: Really interesting article on the design of the N-ALIVE trial of naloxone provision to prisoners pre-release.

2. Determination of dextromethorphan and levomethorphan in seized heroin samples by enantioselective HPLC and electronic CD.

Tedesco D, Di Pietra AM, Rossi F, Garagnani M, Del Borrello E, Bertucci C, Andrisano V.

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2013 Apr 6;81-82C:76-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2013.03.024. [Epub ahead of print]

Comment: Methods paper demonstrating methorphan in some heroin samples involved in overdose death.

3. All-cause mortality in criminal justice clients with substance use problems-A prospective follow-up study.

Hakansson A, Berglund M.

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013 Apr 24. doi:pii: S0376-8716(13)00109-9. 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.03.014. [Epub ahead of print]

Comments: Another analysis of post-release mortality among prisoners, in which the largest group (39%) of deaths were due to accidental or undetermined intent poisoning.

4. Changing law from barrier to facilitator of opioid overdose prevention.

Davis C, Webb D, Burris S.

J Law Med Ethics. 2013 Mar;41 Suppl 1:33-6. doi: 10.1111/jlme.12035.

Comments: Excellent analysis of naloxone and Good Samaritan legislation.

Naloxone: Keep it with your lipstick

Excellent "Here and Now" radio story on naloxone in Massachusetts and administration by parents!

 

Mother Saves Her Son From Overdose Thanks To Pilot Program