title: A fatal intoxication with phenazone (antipyrine).
abstract: Phenazone is a non-opioid analgesic used to treat acute mild to moderate pain, and is considered to be a safe drug. It is most often sold as a nonprescription/over-the-counter drug. Very few fatalities due to phenazone overdoses are reported in the literature. We present a case where a man in his early sixties was found dead in his home in the bottom of a staircase, the scene suggesting that death might have been caused by blunt force injury. However, in spite of the apparently dramatic scene, the gross findings at autopsy did not reveal lethal injuries. Whole blood from the femoral vein was collected during autopsy and screened for drugs of abuse and medicinal drugs. The only toxicological findings were a very high concentration of phenazone (280mg/L) and a high therapeutic concentration of caffeine (34mg/L). An UPLC-MS/MS method was used for quantification of the drugs.
authors: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Forensic Sciences, Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ritva.karinen@fhi.no.
authors: Ritva
authors: R
authors: Karinen
authors: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Forensic Sciences, Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors: Gudrun
authors: G
authors: Høiseth
authors: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Forensic Sciences, Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors: Kristin Opsal
authors: KO
authors: Svendsen
authors: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Forensic Sciences, Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors: Sidsel
authors: S
authors: Rogde
authors: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Division of Forensic Sciences, Box 4404 Nydalen, 0403 Oslo, Norway.
authors: Vigdis
authors: V
authors: Vindenes
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D000983:Antipyrine / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine; D000983:Antipyrine
keywords: Antipyrine; Forensic science; Lethal intoxication; Phenazone; UPLC–MS/MS