title: Fatality due to combined use of the designer drugs MDMA and PMA: a distribution study.
abstract: We present a fatal case involving the combined ingestion of amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, and paramethoxyamphetamine. Various postmortem specimens (e.g., several blood samples, urine, and tissue samples) were analyzed to study the distribution of the compounds and their metabolites in the human body. Quantitation took place using liquid chromatography-sonic spray ionization-mass spectrometry after pretreatment with a liquid-liquid extraction. The medico-legal findings were compatible with a disseminated intravascular coagulation induced by hyperthermia caused by the simultaneous intake of the amphetamine analogues.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Toxicologie, Universiteit Gent, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dams
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: De Letter
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Mortier
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cordonnier
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.forename: M H A
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Piette
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Calenbergh
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: De Leenheer
mesh_terms: D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning; D000328:Adult; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D000662:Amphetamines; D001344:Autopsy; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000506:poisoning*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D015198:Designer Drugs; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D000661:Amphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; C051800:3,4-methylenedioxyethamphetamine; C100230:4-methoxyamphetamine