An Outbreak of Synthetic Cannabinoid-Associated Coagulopathy in Illinois. 2018

Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
From the Departments of Medicine (A.H.K., N.A.S., A.M., H.M., M.D.T.) and Pediatrics (M.D.T., J.C.R.), University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, and the Bleeding and Clotting Disorders Institute (M.D.T., J.C.R.) - both in Peoria.

In March and April 2018, more than 150 patients presented to hospitals in Illinois with coagulopathy and bleeding diathesis. Area physicians and public health organizations identified an association between coagulopathy and synthetic cannabinoid use. Preliminary tests of patient serum samples and drug samples revealed that brodifacoum, an anticoagulant, was the likely adulterant. We reviewed physician-reported data from patients admitted to Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, between March 28 and April 21, 2018, and included in a case series adult patients who met the criteria used to diagnose synthetic cannabinoid-associated coagulopathy. A confirmatory anticoagulant poisoning panel was ordered at the discretion of the treating physician. A total of 34 patients were identified as having synthetic cannabinoid-associated coagulopathy during 45 hospitalizations. Confirmatory anticoagulant testing was performed in 15 of the 34 patients, and superwarfarin poisoning was confirmed in the 15 patients tested. Anticoagulant tests were positive for brodifacoum in 15 patients (100%), difenacoum in 5 (33%), bromadiolone in 2 (13%), and warfarin in 1 (7%). Common symptoms at presentation included gross hematuria in 19 patients (56%) and abdominal pain in 16 (47%). Computed tomography was performed to evaluate abdominal pain and revealed renal abnormalities in 12 patients. Vitamin K1 (phytonadione) was administered orally in all 34 patients and was also administered intravenously in 23 (68%). Red-cell transfusion was performed in 5 patients (15%), and fresh-frozen plasma infusion in 19 (56%). Four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate was used in 1 patient. One patient died from complications of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage. Our data indicate that superwarfarin adulterants of synthetic cannabinoids can lead to clinically significant coagulopathy. In our series, in most of the cases in which the patient presented with bleeding diathesis, symptoms were controlled with the use of vitamin K1 replacement therapy. The specific synthetic cannabinoid compounds are not known.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007087 Illinois State bounded on the north by Wisconsin, on the east by Lake Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky, on the west by Missouri and Iowa, and on the south by Kentucky.
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010359 Patient Readmission Subsequent admissions of a patient to a hospital or other health care institution for treatment. Hospital Readmission,Rehospitalization,Unplanned Hospital Readmissions,Unplanned Readmission,30 Day Readmission,Hospital Readmissions,Readmission, Hospital,Readmissions, Hospital,Thirty Day Readmission,30 Day Readmissions,Hospital Readmission, Unplanned,Hospital Readmissions, Unplanned,Readmission, Patient,Readmission, Thirty Day,Readmission, Unplanned,Rehospitalizations,Thirty Day Readmissions,Unplanned Hospital Readmission,Unplanned Readmissions
D001778 Blood Coagulation Disorders Hemorrhagic and thrombotic disorders that occur as a consequence of abnormalities in blood coagulation due to a variety of factors such as COAGULATION PROTEIN DISORDERS; BLOOD PLATELET DISORDERS; BLOOD PROTEIN DISORDERS or nutritional conditions. Coagulation Disorders, Blood,Disorders, Blood Coagulation,Blood Coagulation Disorder,Coagulation Disorder, Blood,Disorder, Blood Coagulation
D001803 Blood Transfusion The introduction of whole blood or blood component directly into the blood stream. (Dorland, 27th ed) Blood Transfusions,Transfusion, Blood,Transfusions, Blood
D002186 Cannabinoids Compounds having the cannabinoid structure. They were originally extracted from Cannabis sativa L. The most pharmacologically active constituents are TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL; CANNABINOL; and CANNABIDIOL. Cannabinoid
D005260 Female Females
D006417 Hematuria Presence of blood in the urine. Hematurias
D006470 Hemorrhage Bleeding or escape of blood from a vessel. Bleeding,Hemorrhages

Related Publications

Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
January 2019, The New England journal of medicine,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
January 2019, The New England journal of medicine,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
January 2019, The New England journal of medicine,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
July 2018, Mayo Clinic proceedings,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
February 2019, Blood,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
January 2019, Psychosomatics,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
November 2018, Transfusion,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
March 2023, Cureus,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
January 2014, The New England journal of medicine,
Amar H Kelkar, and Nichole A Smith, and Annia Martial, and Harsha Moole, and Michael D Tarantino, and Jonathan C Roberts
October 2019, Annals of internal medicine,
Copied contents to your clipboard!