title: Patterns of presentation and clinical features of toxicity after reported use of ([2-aminopropyl]-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans), the 'benzofuran' compounds. A report from the United Kingdom National Poisons Information Service.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise the patterns of presentation and clinical features of toxicity following reported recreational use of benzofuran compounds ((2-aminopropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans) in the UK, as reported to the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS), and to compare clinical features of toxicity with those after reported mephedrone use.
  
  
  METHODS
  NPIS patient-specific telephone enquiries and user sessions for TOXBASE(®), the NPIS online information database, related to (2-aminopropyl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofurans and associated synonyms were reviewed from March 2009 to August 2013. These data were compared with those of mephedrone, the recreational substance most frequently reported to NPIS, collected over the same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 63 telephone enquiries concerning 66 patients and 806 TOXBASE(®) user sessions regarding benzofuran compounds during the period of study. The first telephone enquiry was made in July 2010 and the highest numbers of enquiries were received in August 2010 (33 calls, 112 TOXBASE(®) sessions). Patients were predominantly male (82%) with a median age of 29 years; 9 reported co-ingestion of other substances. Comparing the 57 patients who reported ingesting benzofuran compounds alone with 315 patients ingesting mephedrone alone, benzofurans were more often associated with stimulant features, including tachycardia, hypertension, mydriasis, palpitation, fever, increased sweating, and tremor, (72% vs. 38%, odds ratio [OR] 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.27-7.85, P < 0.0001) and mental health disturbances (58% vs. 38%, OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.29-4.07, P = 0.006). Other features reported after benzofuran compound ingestion included gastrointestinal symptoms (16%), reduced level of consciousness (9%), chest pain (7%), and creatinine kinase elevation (5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reported ingestion of benzofuran compounds is associated with similar toxic effects to those of amphetamines and cathinones. Mental health disturbances and stimulant features were reported more frequently following reported ingestion of benzofuran compounds than after ingestion of mephedrone.
authors.affiliation: National Poisons Information Service, Newcastle Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Wolfson Unit , Newcastle upon Tyne , UK.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamour
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lupton
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Micheal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eddleston
authors.forename: Allister
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thanacoody
authors.forename: Simon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Simon H L
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000506:poisoning*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000506:poisoning*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004346:Drug Information Services; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000506:poisoning*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000506:poisoning; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011039:Poison Control Centers; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine; C548233:mephedrone
keywords: Benzofuran; Benzofury; Legal high; Mephedrone; Toxicity