Characteristics and complications of acute cocaine intoxication

A cross-sectional study in an emergency room in Colombia

Abstract

Background: Cocaine consumption has increased and the number of visits to the emergency room and hospitalizations for acute intoxication. The objective was to describe the characteristics and complications of cocaine intoxicated patients who attended the emergency department of a high-level hospital in Colombia.

Method: cross-sectional study. Patients treated during 2016 and 2019 with cocaine intoxication were included, according to clinical record and positive cocaine test and without underlying disease that directly affected survival. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were described, and mortality and prevalence of complications were estimated.

Results: 159 patients were included, mostly men, with a low educational level and a median age of 31 years. Mortality was 3.8%. The prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was 29.6% (95% CI 22.6 to 37.3%), 8.8% (95% CI 4.3 - 14.3%) for acute liver failure (ALF), 4.4% (95% CI 1.8 to 8.9%) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 4.4% (95% CI 1.8-8.9%) for stroke. Elevated levels of phosphocreatine kinase (CPK) were found with values "<"

Conclusion: acute cocaine intoxication produces multiorgan alterations, mainly in kidney and liver, which can be due to direct injury and possibly due to muscle damage revealed by the elevation of CPK. This may indicate the need for strict monitoring of this enzyme and its investigation as a prognostic factor.