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THE IMPACT OF LABORATORY-BASED DIAGNOSIS OF SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ON TREATMENT, LENGTH OF STAY, AND PROGNOSIS LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS OF SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS IN ED
SEFER BURAK AYDIN, ALTUG CENGZ, YUSUF KOKSAL, DOGAC NYAZ OZUCELK
International Journal of Current Medical and Biological Science - 2025;5(2):76-82
Consultant in Emergency Medicine, WIC Clinic, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, QATAR

Background: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a structurally diverse class of synthetic substances frequently misused as recreational drugs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of laboratoryconfirmed SC use on the treatment process, length of stay in the emergency department (ED), and patient prognosis in individuals presenting to the ED with a reported history of SC use. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included ED patients aged 18–75 years with self-reported synthetic cannabinoid use. All enrolled patients underwent routine laboratory testing, and synthetic cannabinoid screening was performed universally using urine samples analyzed via enzyme immunoassay. SC-positive and SC-negative patients were compared in terms of lab findings, treatment, ED stay, and prognosis. Results: The study included 101 patients (95% male, mean age 25.8 years). Most presented with symptoms (55.4%) or for addiction treatment (44.6%), commonly reporting fatigue, nausea, agitation, and palpitations. SC was detected in 6.9% of urine samples. No significant lab differences were found between SC-positive and negative patients, except for slightly lower SpO2 levels in SC-positives. ED stay duration and patient outcomes were similar across groups, with 97% discharged and 3% monitored in the ICU. Conclusions: The laboratory diagnosis of synthetic cannabinoids in patients presenting to the ED did not significantly affect treatment outcomes, ED length of stay, or prognosis.

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