Academic Journal
Inhaled isopropyl alcohol for substance-related nausea in adults at electronic dance music festivals: a randomized controlled trial.
| Τίτλος: | Inhaled isopropyl alcohol for substance-related nausea in adults at electronic dance music festivals: a randomized controlled trial. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Seto A; Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. anthony.seto@ucalgary.ca., Haynes L; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada., Bertagnolli C; Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada., Lai D; Safeway Pharmacy, Cochrane, AB, Canada. |
| Πηγή: | CJEM [CJEM] 2026 Oct; Vol. 28 (10), pp. 920-928. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 23. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100893237 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1481-8043 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14818035 NLM ISO Abbreviation: CJEM Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2021- : [London] : Springer Original Publication: Ottawa : Canadian Medical Association, c1999- |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | 2-Propanol*/administration & dosage , Antiemetics*/administration & dosage , Nausea*/drug therapy , Nausea*/chemically induced , Substance-Related Disorders*/complications , Dancing* , Music*, Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Administration, Inhalation ; Double-Blind Method ; Treatment Outcome |
| Περίληψη: | Objectives: Inhaled isopropyl alcohol has demonstrated benefit in managing nausea in emergency departments. This study investigated inhaled isopropyl alcohol's effect on patients with substance-related nausea at 20 Canadian electronic dance music festivals. Methods: This double-blind randomized control trial enrolled patients aged 18 years or older, who self-reported substance use, and presented with nausea. Exclusion criteria were allergy to isopropyl alcohol, inability to inhale through nares, inability to verbally report nausea level, and prior antiemetic given by medical staff. Randomization was to 70% isopropyl alcohol or placebo saline, inhaled from a soaked pad for ten breaths. Nausea was rated on an 11-point scale (0 = no nausea, 10 = worst nausea imaginable) before and ten minutes post-intervention. Percentage of cases where patients vomited and cases where rescue antiemetics were requested were also computed. Results: Self-reported reduction in nausea ten minutes post-intervention occurred with isopropyl alcohol (n = 34) and placebo (n = 23). Isopropyl alcohol reduced average nausea scores from 6.4 to 4.5 (- 30%, p < 0.001, r = 0.74); placebo reduced nausea from 5.8 to 4.9 (- 16%, p = 0.009, r = 0.66). The magnitude of nausea reduction from isopropyl alcohol was greater than placebo by an additional 14% (p = 0.024, rrβ = 0.35). No side effects were reported. Post-intervention vomiting occurred in 15% versus 13% for isopropyl alcohol versus placebo, respectively (n.s.). Post-intervention request for antiemetics occurred in 35% for isopropyl alcohol versus 70% placebo, respectively (p = 0.01, NNT 3). Conclusions: Inhaling isopropyl alcohol or placebo reduced nausea in patients who consumed recreational substances. Isopropyl alcohol reduced nausea by two-fold that of placebo and reduced requests for antiemetics by half that of placebo. Inhaled isopropyl alcohol offers a simple approach to managing nausea in the electronic dance music festival context. Trial registry NCT04307550 (registered 13 March 2020). (© 2026. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP)/ Association Canadienne de Médecine d'Urgence (ACMU).) |
| Competing Interests: | Declarations. Conflict of interest: The investigators are clinical contractors and volunteers with Odyssey Medical, the company that supports medical care at electronic dance music festivals. This affiliation does not influence the article’s aim of assessing the impact of inhaled isopropyl alcohol on substance-related nausea. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Antiemetic; Electronic dance music festival; Inhaled isopropyl alcohol; Intoxication; Mass-gathering medicine; Substance-related nausea Local Abstract: [Publisher, French] RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: L’alcool isopropylique inhalé a démontré un bénéfice dans la gestion des nausées dans les services d’urgence. Cette étude a examiné les effets de l’alcool isopropylique inhalé sur des patients souffrant de nausées liées à la substance dans 20 festivals canadiens de musique électronique. MéTHODES: Cet essai contrôlé randomisé en double aveugle a inclus des patients âgés de 18 ans ou plus, qui ont déclaré avoir consommé des substances et présenté des nausées. Les critères d’exclusion étaient l’allergie à l’alcool isopropylique, l’incapacité d’inhaler par les narines, l’incapacité de rapporter verbalement le niveau de nausées et un antiémétique donné au préalable par le personnel médical. La randomisation a été réalisée avec de l’alcool isopropylique à 70 % ou une solution saline placebo, inhalée à partir d’un tampon imbibé pendant dix respirations. Les nausées ont été évaluées sur une échelle de 11 points (0 = aucune nausée, 10 = la pire nausée imaginable) avant et dix minutes après l’intervention. Le pourcentage de cas où les patients ont vomi et de cas où des antiémétiques de secours ont été demandés a également été calculé. RéSULTATS: Une réduction auto-déclarée des nausées dix minutes après l’intervention a été observée avec de l’alcool isopropylique (n = 34) et un placebo (n = 23). L’alcool isopropylique a réduit les scores moyens de nausée de 6,4 à 4,5 (− 30 %, p < 0,001, r = 0,74) ; le placebo a réduit les nausées de 5,8 à 4,9 (− 16 %, p = 0,009, r = 0,66). L’ampleur de la réduction des nausées sous alcool isopropylique était supérieure à celle du placebo de 14 % supplémentaires (p = 0,024, rrβ = 0,35). Aucun effet secondaire n’a été rapporté. Des vomissements post-intervention ont été observés chez 15 % et 13 % des patients sous alcool isopropylique par rapport au placebo, respectivement (n.s.). Une demande post-intervention pour les antiémétiques a été observée chez 35 % des patients sous alcool isopropylique contre 70 % sous placebo, respectivement (p = 0,01, NNT 3). CONCLUSION: L’inhalation d’alcool isopropylique ou de placebo a diminué les nausées chez les patients ayant consommé des substances récréatives. L’alcool isopropylique a réduit les nausées deux fois plus que le placebo et réduit de moitié les demandes d’antiémétiques par rapport au placebo. L’alcool isopropylique inhalé offre une approche simple pour gérer les nausées dans le contexte du festival de musique électronique. |
| Molecular Sequence: | ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04307550 |
| Substance Nomenclature: | ND2M416302 (2-Propanol) 0 (Antiemetics) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260723 Date Completed: 20261013 Latest Revision: 20261014 |
| Update Code: | 20261015 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s43678-026-01219-x |
| PMID: | 42493725 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1481-8043 |
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| DOI: | 10.1007/s43678-026-01219-x |