Quantitative Xylazine Measurement in ED | Clinical Trial

Key information

Conditions

Opioid Overdose Chemically-Induced Disorders Drug Misuse Drug Overdose Mental Disorders Narcotic-Related Disorders Opiate Overdose Opioid-Related Disorders Prescription Drug Misuse Substance Use Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, Elmhurst, New York, United States

About this study

Xylazine, a veterinary medication and alpha-2 agonist drug with clinical effects including prolonged sedation and skin/soft tissue wounds, has been increasingly detected with fentanyl in the illicit opioid supply. Due to its rapid emergence, limited knowledge exists regarding xylazine's health effects. In this proposed research, Dr. Love will measure xylazine and its metabolites in blood and urine samples using laboratory and point-of-care assays. Working at two New York City emergency departments, Dr. Love will collect waste serum and urine from opioid overdose patients to measure xylazine and its metabolite concentrations. The researcher will also perform qualitative assessment of urine samples with xylazine test strips to characterize urine xylazine detection using a harm reduction tool.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

ED patient
Opioid OD (both NPS and non-NPS)
Availability of waste blood specimens for analysis
Availability of waste urine specimens for analysis

Exclusion criteria

Children under 18

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Xylazine Concentration in Blood

Time frame: 6 months

Concentration of Xylazine in blood as determined by lab.

Secondary outcomes

Xylazine Strip Specificity and Sensitivity

Time frame: 6 months

Measuring Xylazine test strip specificity and sensitivity using excess urine samples.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Other

Collaborators

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Official study title

Quantitative Xylazine Measurement Among Non-Fatal Opioid Overdose Patients in the Emergency Department

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2026
Study completion: 2026
First posted: Apr 29, 2025
Registry last updated: Mar 25, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed