AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN ACUTE CANNABINOID TOXICITY: A STUDY OF CASES MANAGED AT THE ALEXANDRIA POISON CENTER | ||
| The Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences and Applied Toxicology | ||
| Volume 25, Issue 3, September 2025, Pages 9-28 PDF (1.33 M) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejfsat.2025.378081.1372 | ||
| Author | ||
| Rania Abdel Maguid Kaka* | ||
| Forensic Medicine and clinical toxicology, faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Cannabinoid abuse is increasing in Egypt, raising the risk of acute cannabinoid toxicity (ACT). Few studies have examined how ACT patterns differ across age groups. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the clinical patterns of ACT among young children, adolescents, and adults. At the same time, it sheds light on natural versus synthetic cannabinoid (SC) toxicity. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at the Alexandria Poison Center, Egypt. All cases of acute lone natural/synthetic cannabinoid toxicity admitted over one year (January- December 2022) were recorded. Results: The total number of cases was 173 patients. Ages ranged from 6 months to 52 years, with a mean of 7.87 ± 12.79 years. They were divided into two groups according to age: Group I (≤ 12 years old) and Group II (> 12 years old) for comparison of results. Among group I, 55.88% presented with moderate PSS, and 48.52% had moderate Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). For group II, 45.9% had mild PSS, and 75.64% had mild GCS, with significant differences between the two groups (p ≤ 0.001). Death occurred in two adults who consumed synthetic cannabinoids (SCs). Conclusion: ACT in children was predominantly caused by the ingestion of natural cannabinoids, resulting in a moderately altered level of consciousness. SC toxicity was higher among adults who displayed significant symptoms like agitation, arrhythmia, and hypertension. Future research should conduct in-depth investigations into long-term outcomes and assess the effectiveness of targeted age-specific and product-specific strategies for prevention and treatment. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Cannabis; Strox; Acute intoxication; Substance Abuse; Egypt | ||
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