Detección de nuevas sustancias psicoactivas (NPS) en los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios de Canariasaspectos epidemiológicos y analíticos (estudio CaNPuS)

  1. Clara Gironés Bredy 1
  2. Maira Almeida González 2
  3. Jesús Hamid Cedrés 3
  4. Ignacio Guigou Tudela 4
  5. Cristian Almeida González 5
  6. Nayra Cabrera González 6
  7. Mercedes García Rodríguez 7
  8. Fernando Fernández Pérez 7
  9. Ángeles López Hernández 8
  10. Rosa María Zumbado Víctor 9
  11. Luis Domínguez Boada 2
  12. Guillermo Burillo-Putze 10
  1. 1 Departamento de Medicina Física y Farmacología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España. Instituto de Medicina Legal, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
  2. 2 Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
    info
    Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

    Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01teme464

    Geographic location of the organization Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
  3. 3 Hospital Vithas
    info
    Hospital Vithas

    Almeria, España

    Geographic location of the organization Hospital Vithas
  4. 4 Unidad Docente Multiprofesional de Atención Familiar y Comunitaria Tenerife-Zona I, Tenerife, España.
  5. 5 Servicio de Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
  6. 6 Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
  7. 7 Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario Ntra. Sra. de Candelaria, Tenerife, España.
  8. 8 Hospital Universitario de Canarias
    info
    Hospital Universitario de Canarias

    San Cristóbal de La Laguna, España

    ROR https://ror.org/05qndj312

    Geographic location of the organization Hospital Universitario de Canarias
  9. 9 Servicio de Neurocirugía, Hospital Universitario Dr Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
  10. 10 Departamento de Medicina Física y Farmacología, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España. Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, España.
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Journal:
Revista Española de Urgencias y Emergencias

ISSN: 2951-6552,  2951-6544

Year of publication: 2025

Volume: 4

Issue: 4

Pages: 218-226

Type: Article

DOI: 10.55633/S3ME/REUE033.2025 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: Revista Española de Urgencias y Emergencias

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Although the use of psychoactive substances (NPS) is growing in Spain, routine analytical methods for their immediate detection at hospital level are not available, unlike for classic drugs (cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, etc.). Our objective was to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with NPS consumption leading to hospital emergency visits in the Canary Islands Archipelago (Spain), through their qualitative detection. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We conducted a descriptive observational study in 4 hospital emergency departments (EDs) in the Canary Islands (Spain) (3 in Tenerife and 1 in Gran Canaria) over 16 months (from October 2019 through January 2021). The study included patients older than 14 years who presented to the ED with clinical suspicion of NPS intoxication. Urine samples were collected and analyzed using immunoassay tests (Randox Biochip Assay) and subsequently by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Demographic, clinical, evolutionary, and analytical data were recorded. RESULTS. A total of 158 cases were obtained, with NPS detected in 96 (60.8%). There were no differences in age and sex related to NPS detection. A total of 32.3% of all cases tested positive for NPS and classic drugs. Ultrapotent opioids were detected in 34.2%, new benzodiazepines in 27.8%, piperazines in 22.8%, synthetic cathinones in 14%, phenethylamines in 8.4%, and synthetic cannabinoids in 7.7%. When analyzing samples by LC-MS/MS, ultrapotent opioids (16.4% of the sample), phenethylamines (13.3%), and new benzodiazepines (8.9%) stood out among the NPS groups, with no significant differences in sex. The sensitivity of RANDOX® was 100% for clonazepam and 81% for fentanyl, while the positive predictive value (PPV) was 37% for clonazepam and 100% for fentanyl. Specificity rate was > 82% in all contrasted cases, and the negative predictive value (NPV) ranged between 96% and 100%. For the rest of the substances, both sensitivity and PPV rates were 0%. CONCLUSIONS. The high detection rate of ultrapotent opioids, previously unknown in Spain to date, should prompt us to pay more attention to this group of substances. The detection of other NPS was higher than expected according to consumption surveys. Qualitative NPS detection can have clinical applications in hospital EDs.

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