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Fatal methadone intoxication in a 11-month-old male infant

J Sidlo1, J Valuch, P Ocko

  • 1Institute of Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Comenius University and Health Care Surveillance Authority, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Soudni Lekarstvi
|June 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Fatal methadone intoxication caused the unexpected death of an 11-month-old infant. This rare pediatric case highlights the importance of toxicological analysis in diagnosing methadone poisoning when clinical signs are absent.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Toxicology
  • Pediatric Pathology

Background:

  • Adult methadone intoxication cases are rising with opiate substitution therapy.
  • Pediatric methadone intoxication is rare and diagnostically challenging based on clinical presentation alone.

Observation:

  • An 11-month-old infant presented with sudden, unexplained death.
  • Autopsy revealed non-specific morphological findings.
  • Toxicological analysis detected methadone in blood, liver, kidney, and urine.

Findings:

  • Methadone was confirmed as the cause of death in the infant.
  • Ethanol and other psychoactive substances were not detected.
  • Methadone concentrations were significant: blood serum 1.3 µg/mL, liver 5.0 µg/g, kidney 2.6 µg/g, urine 3.2 µg/mL.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the potential for accidental or intentional methadone administration to infants.
  • The source of methadone remains unknown, suggesting administration by an external party.
  • Highlights the critical role of forensic toxicology in identifying causes of death in infants, especially in suspected intoxication cases.
Abstract

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