Blood levels of 3-methylfentanyl in 3 fatal poisoning cases

Ilkka Ojanperä; Merja Gergov; Ilpo Rasanen; Philippe Lunetta; Sauli Toivonen; Erkki Tiainen; Erkki Vuori

doi:10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5

Blood levels of 3-methylfentanyl in 3 fatal poisoning cases

Ilkka Ojanperä, Merja Gergov, Ilpo Rasanen, Philippe Lunetta, Sauli Toivonen, Erkki Tiainen, Erkki Vuori

Department of Forensic Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Three fatal poisoning cases due to 3-methylfentanyl are described. In each case, the death was accidental and occurred after injection of the opioid combined with amphetamine, heroin, or other drugs. The victims' ages, ranging from 30 to 41 years, were higher than those typically found in heroin poisonings in Finland. The blood concentrations of cis-3-methylfentanyl, measured here for the first time by a specific tandem mass spectrometric method, ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 mu g/L (mean 0.5 mu g/L). These values are significantly lower than the levels reported for a-methylfentanyl and fentanyl in fatal poisonings. Repeated seizures of fentanyl and its analogs have been reported in Europe close to the Russian border.

Original language	English
Journal	The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology
Volume	27
Pages (from-to)	328-331
Number of pages	4
ISSN	0195-7910
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5
Publication status	Published - 2006
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

319 Forensic science and other medical sciences

Access to Document

10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5

Cite this

@article{315c40e4f9584e99a22297044c7eb3cf,

title = "Blood levels of 3-methylfentanyl in 3 fatal poisoning cases",

abstract = "Three fatal poisoning cases due to 3-methylfentanyl are described. In each case, the death was accidental and occurred after injection of the opioid combined with amphetamine, heroin, or other drugs. The victims' ages, ranging from 30 to 41 years, were higher than those typically found in heroin poisonings in Finland. The blood concentrations of cis-3-methylfentanyl, measured here for the first time by a specific tandem mass spectrometric method, ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 mu g/L (mean 0.5 mu g/L). These values are significantly lower than the levels reported for a-methylfentanyl and fentanyl in fatal poisonings. Repeated seizures of fentanyl and its analogs have been reported in Europe close to the Russian border.",

keywords = "319 Forensic science and other medical sciences",

author = "Ilkka Ojanper{\"a} and Merja Gergov and Ilpo Rasanen and Philippe Lunetta and Sauli Toivonen and Erkki Tiainen and Erkki Vuori",

year = "2006",

doi = "10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "328--331",

journal = "The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology",

issn = "0195-7910",

publisher = "Lippincott williams & wilkins",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Blood levels of 3-methylfentanyl in 3 fatal poisoning cases

AU - Ojanperä, Ilkka

AU - Gergov, Merja

AU - Rasanen, Ilpo

AU - Lunetta, Philippe

AU - Toivonen, Sauli

AU - Tiainen, Erkki

AU - Vuori, Erkki

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Three fatal poisoning cases due to 3-methylfentanyl are described. In each case, the death was accidental and occurred after injection of the opioid combined with amphetamine, heroin, or other drugs. The victims' ages, ranging from 30 to 41 years, were higher than those typically found in heroin poisonings in Finland. The blood concentrations of cis-3-methylfentanyl, measured here for the first time by a specific tandem mass spectrometric method, ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 mu g/L (mean 0.5 mu g/L). These values are significantly lower than the levels reported for a-methylfentanyl and fentanyl in fatal poisonings. Repeated seizures of fentanyl and its analogs have been reported in Europe close to the Russian border.

AB - Three fatal poisoning cases due to 3-methylfentanyl are described. In each case, the death was accidental and occurred after injection of the opioid combined with amphetamine, heroin, or other drugs. The victims' ages, ranging from 30 to 41 years, were higher than those typically found in heroin poisonings in Finland. The blood concentrations of cis-3-methylfentanyl, measured here for the first time by a specific tandem mass spectrometric method, ranged from 0.3 to 0.9 mu g/L (mean 0.5 mu g/L). These values are significantly lower than the levels reported for a-methylfentanyl and fentanyl in fatal poisonings. Repeated seizures of fentanyl and its analogs have been reported in Europe close to the Russian border.

KW - 319 Forensic science and other medical sciences

U2 - 10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5

DO - 10.1097/01.paf.0000188097.78132.e5

M3 - Article

SN - 0195-7910

VL - 27

SP - 328

EP - 331

JO - The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

JF - The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology

ER -