morphine-3-glucuronide and Respiratory-Insufficiency

While respiratory depression is a known complication of morphine overdose, the neuro-excitatory side effect of the morphine metabolite morphine-3-glucuronide is less widely known. Here, we report the case of an infant with neurological excitation after morphine overdose. The neuro-excitation in this infant was probably induced by an elevated morphine-3-glucuronide concentration.

Topics: Analgesics, Opioid; Drug Overdose; Humans; Infant; Male; Morphine; Morphine Derivatives; Respiratory Insufficiency

To develop a pharmacokinetic-pharmacogenomic population model of morphine in critically ill children with acute respiratory failure.. Prospective pharmacokinetic-pharmacogenomic observational study.. Thirteen PICUs across the United States.. Pediatric subjects (n = 66) mechanically ventilated for acute respiratory failure, weight greater than or equal to 7 kg, receiving morphine and/or midazolam continuous infusions.. Serial blood sampling for drug quantification and a single blood collection for genomic evaluation.. Concentrations of morphine, the two main metabolites, morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide, were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry/mass spectroscopy. Subjects were genotyped using the Illumina HumanOmniExpress genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism chip. Nonlinear mixed-effects modeling was performed to develop the pharmacokinetic-pharmacogenomic model. A two-compartment model with linear elimination and two individual compartments for metabolites best describe morphine disposition in this population. Our analysis demonstrates that body weight and postmenstrual age are relevant predictors of pharmacokinetic parameters of morphine and its metabolites. Furthermore, our research shows that a duration of mechanical ventilation greater than or equal to 10 days reduces metabolite formation and elimination upwards of 30%. However, due to the small sample size and relative heterogeneity of the population, no heritable factors associated with uridine diphosphate glucuronyl transferase 2B7 metabolism of morphine were identified.. The results provide a better understanding of the disposition of morphine and its metabolites in critically ill children with acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation due to nonheritable factors. It also provides the groundwork for developing additional studies to investigate the role of heritable factors.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Age Factors; Analgesics, Opioid; Body Weight; Child; Child, Preschool; Critical Illness; Female; Genotype; Glucuronosyltransferase; Humans; Infant; Male; Morphine; Morphine Derivatives; Pharmacogenomic Testing; Prospective Studies; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Insufficiency; Time Factors

A 46-year-old woman suffering from a reactive depression was admitted to the emergency room in coma and with severe respiratory failure. She later developed cardiovascular instability and general convulsions. Two days following admission the patient had no respiratory effort but was able to communicate in writing that she had ingested a large amount of controlled-release morphine tablets. Following treatment with naloxone she was successfully weaned from the respirator the next day.. Sampling for determination of plasma and urine concentrations of morphine and its metabolites morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) was started 60 h after the presumed time of intake and continued up to 8 days after admission.. The initial plasma concentrations of morphine, M3G and M6G were 2160, 13100 and 2330 nM, respectively, compatible with a lethal dose in an opioid-naive patient. The urinary recovery of morphine, M3G and M6G corresponded to 6.8 mmol, equivalent to an oral intake of at least 2500 mg.. The plasma concentrations of morphine and morphine metabolites documented in this case, indicative of considerable absorption of drug, demonstrate that prolonged observation is necessary following intoxications with controlled-release morphine tablets. This case also highlights the importance of continuous follow-up of oral morphine therapy, so that unused drug is not left unaccounted for in the patient's home.

Topics: Absorption; Analgesics, Opioid; Coma; Delayed-Action Preparations; Depression; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Middle Aged; Morphine; Morphine Derivatives; Respiratory Insufficiency; Seizures; Suicide, Attempted; Tablets