Prevalence of hepatitis C virus among fatal drug overdoses in Tennessee: an analysis using 2019-2020 Tennessee State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System Data

Tianeptine-involved emergency department visits, fatal overdoses, and substance seizures in Tennessee, 2021-2023

Background

Tianeptine is an antidepressant that acts as an agonist to the mu-opioid receptor and enhances serotonin reuptake. Tianeptine has been legally sold as an antidepressant in some countries but is not approved for any medical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tianeptine is not a federally controlled substance, but became a schedule II substance in Tennessee on July 1, 2022. This publication aims to describe the prevalence of tianeptine-involved emergency department visits, fatal overdoses, and substance seizures in Tennessee from 2021 to 2023.

Methods

We conducted a study to examine the prevalence of tianeptine-involved emergency department visits and fatal overdoses in Tennessee using data for 2021 to 2023 from the Tennessee Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community based Epidemics (ESSENCE) database and the Tennessee State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). Substance seizure data from National Forensic Laboratory Information System (NFLIS) are included.

Results

Our search of ESSENCE, SUDORS, and NFLIS yielded 50 tianeptine-involved emergency department visits, 6 tianeptine-involved fatal overdoses, and 19 tianeptine substance seizures respectively. Demographic information is provided for the emergency department visits and tianeptine-involved fatal overdoses. Discharge diagnosis and clinical symptomology information are provided for the emergency department visits.

Conclusion

Emergency department visits and fatal overdoses involving tianeptine have occurred in Tennessee despite tianeptine becoming a schedule II substance. Among emergency department visits, tianeptine use is most commonly associated with gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms. All fatal cases where tianeptine was detected involved other substances, suggesting tianeptine plays a role in polysubstance use.

Diphenhydramine-involved Fatal and Nonfatal Drug Overdoses in Tennessee, 2019-2022

BACKGROUND

Diphenhydramine (DPH), known as the brand name Benadryl, is an over-the-counter medication associated with accidental ingestion leading to nonfatal overdoses. Additionally, DPH has been used in tandem with illicit substances leading to fatal drug overdoses.

OBJECTIVE

In response to DPH being seized with illicit drugs as an adulterant, as well as its growing intentional misuse, we sought to explore its recent involvement in fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in the state of Tennessee.

METHODS

We conducted a statewide cross-sectional study to determine the characteristics of DPH-involved fatal and nonfatal overdoses in Tennessee during 2019-2022 using data from the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System, the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics, and the National Forensic Laboratory Information System Public Data Query System. Frequencies were generated to compare demographic characteristics, circumstances, and toxicology between fatal and nonfatal DPH-involved overdoses.

RESULTS

We identified 143 suspected nonfatal DPH and 409 fatal DPH-involved overdoses in Tennessee from 2019 to 2022. Nonfatal overdoses remained consistent while fatal overdoses peaked in 2021. Most nonfatal overdoses were under 18 (63.4%), while most fatal overdoses were between 18 and 64 years of age (95.7%). For fatal overdoses, fentanyl was the most prevalent substance on toxicology followed by prescription opioids.

CONCLUSION

Nonfatal overdoses remained consistent while fatal overdoses peaked in 2021 in Tennessee. Use of DPH among other illicit substances lends to evidence suggesting its use as an adulterant. Monitoring of DPH-involved fatal and nonfatal overdoses is critical to inform harm reduction initiatives.