The second collection consisted of specimens from documented opiate overdose subjects and drug-free control subjects obtained at autopsy (within 20hr of death) as previously described,19–21 that were approved by Wayne State University’s Human Investigation Committee. Briefly, medico-legal investigations were conducted by forensic pathologists, with manner and cause of death determined after evaluating the circumstances of death, blood and urine toxicology, available police reports, medical records and autopsy results. For opiate dependent individuals, toxicology revealed use of cocaine (50%) and alcohol (16%). We studied 164 subjects: 114 controls (108 males, 6 females; average age 32.7±10.6) and 50 opioid individuals (44 males, 6 females; average age 33.9±6.9). 56% of the population was African American, and 43% Caucasian. See Supplemental Table 1 for full population information.
