Corticosteroid adulteration in proprietary Chinese medicines: a recurring problem

To investigate adulteration of proprietary Chinese medicines with corticosteroids in Hong Kong.

Case series with cross-sectional analysis.

A tertiary clinical toxicology laboratory in Hong Kong.

All patients using proprietary Chinese medicines adulterated with corticosteroids and referred to the authors' centre from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012.

Patients' demographic data, clinical presentation, medical history, drug history, laboratory investigations, and analytical findings of the proprietary Chinese medicines were analysed.

The records of 61 patients who consumed corticosteroid-adulterated proprietary Chinese medicines were reviewed. The most common corticosteroid implicated was dexamethasone. Co-adulterants such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and histamine H1-receptor antagonists were detected in the proprietary Chinese medicine specimens. Among the patients, seven (11.5%) required intensive care, two (3.3%) died within 30 days of presentation, and 38 (62.3%) had one or more complications that were potentially attributable to exogenous corticosteroids. Of 22 (36.1%) patients who had provocative adrenal function testing performed, 17 (77.3% of those tested) had adrenal insufficiency.

The present case series is the largest series of patients taking proprietary Chinese medicines adulterated with corticosteroids. Patients taking these illicit products are at risk of severe adverse effects, including potentially fatal complications. Adrenal insufficiency was very common in this series of patients. Assessment of adrenal function in these patients, however, has been inadequate and routine rather than discretionary testing of adrenal function is indicated in this group of patients. The continuing emergence of proprietary Chinese medicines adulterated with western medication indicates a persistent threat to public health.