Published online October 2, 2006
PEDIATRICS Vol. 118 No. 4 October 2006, pp. 1746-1751 (doi:10.1542/peds.2006-0948)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (3)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Geib, A.-J.
Right arrow Articles by Boyer, E. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Geib, A.-J.
Right arrow Articles by Boyer, E. W.
Related Collections
Right arrow Therapeutics & Toxicology
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

EXPERIENCE & REASON

Adverse Effects in Children After Unintentional Buprenorphine Exposure

Ann-Jeannette Geib, MDa, Kavita Babu, MDb, Michele Burns Ewald, MDa and Edward W. Boyer, MD, PhDa,b

a Program in Medical Toxicology, Division of Emergency Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
b Division of Medical Toxicology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

ABSTRACT

Buprenorphine in sublingual formulation was recently introduced to the American market for treatment of opioid dependence. We report a series of 5 toddlers with respiratory and mental-status depression after unintentional buprenorphine exposure. Despite buprenorphine’s partial agonist activity and ceiling effect on respiratory depression, all children required hospital admission and either opioid-antagonist therapy or mechanical ventilation. Results of routine urine toxicology screening for opioids were negative in all cases. Confirmatory testing was sent for 1 child and returned with a positive result. The increasing use of buprenorphine as a home-based therapy for opioid addiction in the United States raises public health concerns for the pediatric population.

Key Words: buprenorphine • unintentional ingestion • respiratory depression • opioid • pediatric • exploratory behavior

Abbreviations: ED, emergency department • CNS, central nervous system

Accepted May 24, 2006.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
K. T. S. Pattinson
Opioids and the control of respiration
Br. J. Anaesth., June 1, 2008; 100(6): 747 - 758.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
B. D. Hayes, W. Klein-Schwartz, and S. Doyon
Toxicity of Buprenorphine Overdoses in Children
Pediatrics, April 1, 2008; 121(4): e782 - e786.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]