Characteristics of Psychopathology and the Relationship between Routes of Drug Administration and Psychiatric Symptoms in Heroin Addicts

Wang, Qingliang; Liu, Zhimin

doi:10.1080/08897077.2011.630945

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…SCL 90 total score was taken into account as a measure of concomitant psychiatric symptoms in general. This scale has been commonly utilized in previous studies on subjects affected by addictive disorders to evaluate psychiatric comorbidity (Wang et al, 2012; Wölfling et al, 2013).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Co-occurring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in adults affected by heroin dependence: Patients characteristics and treatment needs

Lugoboni

Levin

Pieri³

et al. 2017

Psychiatry Research

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a risk for substance use disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between adult ADHD symptoms, opioid use disorder, life dysfunction and co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. 1057 heroin dependent patients on opioid substitution treatment participated in the survey. All patients were screened for adult ADHD symptoms using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1). 19.4% of the patients screened positive for concurrent adult ADHD symptoms status and heroin dependence. Education level was lower among patients with ADHD symptoms, but not significant with respect to non-ADHD patients. Patients with greater ADHD symptoms severity were less likely to be employed. A positive association was observed between ADHD symptoms status and psychiatric symptoms. Patients with ADHD symptoms status were more likely to be smokers. Patients on methadone had a higher rate of ADHD symptoms status compared to buprenorphine. Those individuals prescribed psychoactive drugs were more likely to have ADHD symptoms. In conclusion, high rate of ADHD symptoms was found among heroin dependent patients, particularly those affected by the most severe form of addiction. These individuals had higher rates of unemployment, other co-morbid mental health conditions, heavy tobacco smoking. Additional psychopharmacological interventions targeting ADHD symptoms, other than opioid substitution, is a public health need.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Co-occurring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in adults affected by heroin dependence: Patients characteristics and treatment needs

Lugoboni

Levin

Pieri³

et al. 2017

Psychiatry Research

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“…Both addicted patients and control subjects were submitted to the SCL 90 [36] , 1992. SCL 90 total score was taken into account as a measure of concomitant psychiatric symptoms in general.…”

Section: Scl 90mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Dysfunction in Men Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Clinical History and Psychobiological Correlates

et al. 2015

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A variety of studies evidenced a relationship between drug use disorders and sexual dysfunction. In particular, heroin and opioid agonist medications to treat heroin dependence have been found to be associated with erectile dysfunction and reduced libido. Controversial findings also indicate the possibility of factors other than the pharmacological effects of opioid drugs concurring to sexual dysfunction. With the present study, we investigated the link between sexual dysfunction and long-term exposure to opioid receptor stimulation (heroin dependence, methadone maintenance treatment, methadone dosage), the potentially related hormonal changes reflecting hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis function and prolactin (PRL) pituitary release, the role of adverse childhood experiences in the clinical history and the concomitant symptoms of comorbid mental health disorders in contributing to sexual problems. Forty male patients participating in a long-term methadone treatment program were included in the present study and compared with 40 healthy control subjects who never used drugs nor abused alcohol. All patients and controls were submitted to the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), Child Experiences of Care and Abuse-Questionnaire (CECA-Q) and the Symptom Check List-90 Scale. A blood sample for testosterone and PRL assays was collected. Methadone dosages were recorded among heroin-dependent patients on maintenance treatment. Methadone patients scored significantly higher than controls on the 5-item rating ASEX scale, on CECA-Q and on Symptoms Check List 90 (SCL 90) scale. Testosterone plasma levels were significantly lower and PRL levels significantly higher in methadone patients with respect to the healthy control group. ASEX scores reflecting sexual dysfunction were directly and significantly correlated with CECA-Q neglect scores and SCL 90 psychiatric symptoms total score. The linear regression model, when applied only to addicted patients, showed that methadone dosages were not significantly correlated with sexual dysfunction scores except for ‘erectile dysfunction', for which an inverse association was evidenced. Testosterone values showed a significant inverse correlation with ASEX sexual dysfunction scores, CECA-Q neglect scores and psychiatric symptom at SCL 90 among methadone patients. PRL levels were directly and significantly correlated with sexual dysfunction scores, psychiatric symptoms at SCL 90 and CECA-Q neglect scores. Both testosterone and PRL did not correlate with methadone dosages. The present findings appear to support the view of childhood adversities and comorbid psychiatric symptoms contributing to sexual dysfunction and related hormonal changes among methadone patients, challenging the assumption that attributes sexual problems entirely to the direct pharmacological effects of opioid agonist medications.

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“…Several studies investigated the role of aluminum as a potential toxic agent given that heroin is frequently heated on foil. However, the amount of aluminum produced by this method was not reported to be at or above toxic levels . A 2005 study compared ingestion of heroin vapours by “chasing the dragon” as compared to a heating a tablet on a metal block .…”

Section: Diacetylmorphine (Heroin)mentioning

confidence: 86%

Pyrolysis of drugs of abuse: a comprehensive review

Bell

Nida

2015

Drug Testing and Analysis

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This review summarizes the literature to date relating to pyrolysis and heated vapour ingestion of drugs of abuse. In this context, heating is referred to as smoking or pyrolysis, but these are generic descriptors that encompass numerous methods of vapour generation and inhalation. Depending on the amount of drug used, diluents and contaminants present, heating conditions, and the oxidative/reductive environment, many thermal decomposition products can be formed. In addition to the recognized hazard of rapid onset of pharmacological effects of the parent drug, thermal decomposition products may be pharmacologically active as well as acutely/chronically toxic. For example, several published reports have linked heroin smoking to a form of brain encephalopathy and to the development of movement disorders. Early qualitative studies focusing on the thermal decomposition of drugs have evolved into more complex investigations employing mass spectral identification, confirmation, and elucidation of formation mechanism. In most cases, thermal decomposition begins with cleavage of the weakest bond (often C-N) to generate free radicals that then form the most stable sterically favoured products. Several reports of rearrangements at higher temperatures have been identified and hint at an underlying complexity that arises from the variety of smoking methods and conditions. Given that many designer drugs such as synthetic cannabinoids are ingested primarily through smoking, this issue has taken on new importance.

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Characteristics of Psychopathology and the Relationship between Routes of Drug Administration and Psychiatric Symptoms in Heroin Addicts

Cited by 15 publications

References 43 publications

Co-occurring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in adults affected by heroin dependence: Patients characteristics and treatment needs

Co-occurring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms in adults affected by heroin dependence: Patients characteristics and treatment needs

Sexual Dysfunction in Men Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Clinical History and Psychobiological Correlates

Pyrolysis of drugs of abuse: a comprehensive review

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