Abstract

The synthetic opioid methadone hydrochloride has a low molecular weight of 346 D, a high volume of distribution (4 – 7 L/kg), and is lipophilic. It is used as an analgesic and for the maintenance treatment of opiate dependence. In drug addicts, methadone is frequently involved in mixed intoxications that can lead to death. Here we present the case of a drug addict in whom a high cut-off dialysis membrane together with extended dialysis was used in the setting of suspected overdose and acute kidney injury. Although the observed dialyzer plasma clearance (31.5 mL/min) and reduction ratio (38%) were higher than previously reported for standard hemodialysis, the total amount of methadone in the spent dialysate after 1 extended dialysis session was quite low. Hence, even extended dialysis with a high cut-off membrane does not seem to offer a clinically relevant benefit in the setting of overdose for enhanced methadone removal. On the other hand, in patients undergoing high cut-off dialysis for the removal of light chains, methadone could still be used as an analgesic without an additional dose after high cut-off hemodialysis.

Author Details

Authors

• Viktor Arelin¹
• Julius J. Schmidt¹
• Nathalie Kayser¹
• W. Nikolaus Kühn-Velten²
• Hendrik Suhling³
• Gabriele Eden^{1, 4}
• Jan T. Kielstein^{1, 4}

Departments

• ¹ Department of Nephrology and Hypertension, Hannover Medical School, Hannover,
• ² Medical Laboratory of Bremen, Bremen,
• ³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, and
• ⁴ Medical Clinic V, Nephrology and Hypertension, Academic Hospital Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

Address

Jan T. Kielstein, MD
Medical Clinic V, Academic Teaching Hospital Braunschweig
Salzdahlumer Str. 90, 38126, Braunschweig, Germany
Email: [email protected]

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