Availability of urine toxicologic screening tests in the emergency department: focused on illegal drugs

Purpose: In Korea, it is predicted that the proportion of drug abusers among patients visiting emergency room will soon increase. Several medical institutions in Korea are conducting field urine screening tests for poisoning. this study, we investigated characteristics and usefulness toxicology tests. Methods: The records with positive results tetrahydrocannabinol methamphetamine from at a tertiary university hospital August 2016 to 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. subjects classified into false-positive groups, their clinical compared analyzed. Results: Of 2,026 surveyed, 823 (40.6%) tested one or more drugs. Among them, 12 cases (0.6%) 40 (2.0%) tetrahydrocannabinol. rates 66.7% 33.3%, respectively. 2.5% 97.5%, Conclusion: Methamphetamine showed relatively low rate our study. Therefore, test seemed assist diagnosing poisoning when considered together present illness physical examination results. On other hand, high indicates was unlikely However, considering growing trend illegal may still be useful as diagnostic tool identifying users.