Source: Journal of Addiction Medicine
ToxIC Project Data Source: Fentalog Study
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Authors: Zelenkov, Nenad MD; Falise, Alyssa M. PhD, MSPH; Shulman, Joshua MD; Culbreth, Rachel PhD, MPH; Aldy, Kim DO, MS, MBA; Wax, Paul MD; Brent, Jeffrey MD, PhD; Campleman, Sharan PhD, MPH; Krotulski, Alex PhD; Manini, Alex F. MD; On behalf of the ToxIC Fentalog Study Group
Keywords/Topics: Fentanyl analogs, fentalogs, xylazine, opioids, overdose, toxico-surveillance

Journal of Addiction Medicine: "Geographic Trends in Nonfatal Overdose Involving or Exposed to Opioids and Xylazine Across U.S. Emergency Departments"

A multicenter study by the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC) analyzed geographic differences in xylazine exposure among 1,397 patients presenting with nonfatal opioid overdoses at 10 U.S. emergency departments. Data revealed that 20.8% of patients had xylazine in their system, with nearly all of these cases also involving fentanyl or its analogs. Xylazine exposure was significantly more common in the Northeast compared to the West, where the odds of detection were drastically lower. However, detection rates in the Midwest and South were not significantly different from the Northeast. These findings highlight the regional variability of xylazine in the illicit drug supply and suggest a need for targeted public health and clinical responses to address these evolving trends. Read more...