Palladium causes bizarre skin hyperpigmentation in long‐term dihydrocodeinone ‘Braun’ abusers

0519443 - ÚMCH 2021 RIV GB eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Arenbergerová, M. - Arenberger, P. - Gkalpakiotis, S. - Sticová, E. - Hůlková, H. - Trhlíková, Olga - Sikora, J.
Palladium causes bizarre skin hyperpigmentation in long‐term dihydrocodeinone ‘Braun’ abusers.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Roč. 34, č. 1 (2020), s. 188-191. ISSN 0926-9959. E-ISSN 1468-3083
Institucionální podpora: RVO:61389013
Klíčová slova: opioids * dihydrocodeinone * palladium
Obor OECD: Analytical chemistry
Impakt faktor: 6.166, rok: 2020
Způsob publikování: Open access
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jdv.15930

Braun’ is an illegal injectable dihydrocodeinone‐enriched drug mixture of semi‐synthetic opioids. It is prepared by palladium‐catalysed hydrogenation from codeine‐containing tablets. We aimed to characterize the dermatologic consequences of long‐term abuse of ‘Braun’. Skin biopsies of two long‐term ‘Braun’ abusers were evaluated histopathologically, immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally. Palladium skin content was assessed by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Both patients showed generalized diffuse dark blue–grey hyperpigmentation of the skin. In both, an abnormal population of cells containing intracytoplasmic brownish granular material was identified in the papillary dermis by light microscopy. Electron microscopy revealed a dense and minimally structured material that predominantly accumulated in macrophages, fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells. XRF analysis confirmed elevated levels of palladium in the patient's skin in comparison to healthy controls. Long‐term abuse of palladium‐contaminated dihydrocodeinone (‘Braun’) results in excessive accumulation of granular material in various dermal cell types and causes generalized diffuse skin hyperpigmentation.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0305387