Quinine-induced thrombocytopenia following intravenous use of heroin. Arch Intern Med 1983 Jun;143(6):1174-5
Date
06/01/1983Pubmed ID
6860046Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84948722672 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 25 CitationsAbstract
Profound thrombocytopenia developed in a 22-year-old man after intravenous use of heroin. A high-titer, quinine-dependent, platelet-specific antibody was detected in his serum using lysis of normal platelets labeled with chromium 51 and an electroimmunoassay for measurement of platelet-associated IgG. The antibody was specific for quinine and failed to react with platelets in the presence of quinidine hydrochloride or two structural analogues of heroin. Quinine, a common adulterant found in heroin, was detected in the patient's blood and urine. On the basis of these observations, the patient was judged to have quinine-induced immunologic thrombocytopenia. To our knowledge, this report is the first to confirm that quinine used as an adulterant can induce immunologic thrombocytopenia following an injection of heroin.
Author List
Christie DJ, Walker RH, Kolins MD, Wilner FM, Aster RHMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultBlood Platelets
Chromium Radioisotopes
Drug Contamination
Heroin
Humans
Immunoassay
Immunoglobulin G
Injections, Intravenous
Male
Quinine
Thrombocytopenia