title: Illy: clinical and public health implications of a street drug.
abstract: We conducted a prospective, observational study of patients presenting to an emergency department with suspected use of a street drug known as "illy" to identify the active ingredient in "illy" and describe the clinical presentation and outcomes associated with its use. Vital signs, mental status, restraint use, and urine toxicology (UT) results were recorded. Patients were interviewed about drug use patterns and co-ingestants. Fifty-nine patients (89.9% males) with a mean age of 22 years (SD +/- 4.37) were enrolled over a 34-month period. UT was obtained in 61% of patients; of these 91.7% tested positive for phencyclidine (PCP). Seventy-eight percent of patients were discharged, (15.3%) required psychiatric evaluation; 3 were admitted, one died in the ED. Patients reported concurrent drug use (54%) and at-risk drinking (50%). PCP is likely the active component of "illy". Most patients require observation and supportive care only, however major complications including death may occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. gail.donofrio@yale.edu
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Onofrio
authors.forename: Julie B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: McCausland
authors.forename: Asim F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Tarabar
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Degutis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000432:Methanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D005557:Formaldehyde; D000432:Methanol