TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Fatal intoxication due to tramadol alone: case report and review of the literature
JO  - Forensic science international
A1  - De Decker, Koen
A1  - Cordonnier, Jan A. C. M.
A1  - Jacobs, Werner
A1  - Coucke, V.
A1  - Schepens, P.
A1  - Jorens, P. G.
SP  - 79
EP  - 82
VL  - 175
IS  - 1
N2  - Poisoning may also lead to both coma and multiple organ failure, also in youngsters without a known major medical history. As not all toxic agents are routinely screened when a poisoning is suspected, it is useful to consider less frequently encountered poisons in certain cases. We describe the occurrence of asystole and multiple organ failure which occurred in a young man after a suspected tramadol overdose. The tramadol concentration on admission in the ICU was indeed 8 microg/ml (mg/l), far above the therapeutic range. Subsequently, the patient developed severe acute liver failure, finally leading to death. Post-mortem toxicology did not reveal any other poison responsible for this unfavourable course as only very high serum and tissue tramadol and desmethyltramadol concentrations were found. Only a few fatal poisonings attributable to tramadol alone, as observed in our case, have been reported. An overview of these cases is presented.<p /> <p>Language: en</p> 
LA  - en
SN  - 0379-0738
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.07.010
ID  - ref1
ER  -