Associations between polysubstance use and psychiatric comorbidities

Abstract

IntroductionPolydrug use studies mention demographic and socioeconomic factors that may influence this problem. One of them is the existence of psychiatric comorbidity; Rentrop’s study (Rentrop et al., 2014) finds in a sample of 50 patients that all patients had at least one axis I disorder, 90% at least one axis II disorder, which may compromise the outcome of detoxification and dehabituation treatments (Rentrop et al., 2014). Another study found that 44.9% of patients admitted to a psychiatric unit are polydrug users (Karam et al., 2002).ObjectivesTo study the possible association of polydrug use with psychiatric comorbidity in patients admitted to a general hospital and presenting drug use.MethodsWe made a descriptive retrospective study through the use of electronic medical records. The drug use history was obtained for all patients admitted to the inpatient service of a general hospital during a 3-year period.ResultsMore cases of poly-consumption together with psychiatric comorbidity are found than expected in the χ² Test, with significant results (χ² = 27.2; p<0.001). The mean age of the patient with poly-consumption and psychiatric comorbidity is 34.9 years.Psychiatric comorbidityPolydrug useNoYesTotalNoObserved2960296Expected28411.64296YesObserved21721238Expected2299.36238TotalObserved5132153451321534ConclusionsPsychiatric comorbidity in patients with polydrug use may be overlooked (Kruckow et al. 2016). Identifying patients with dual diagnosis is important given that these patients suffer decreased treatment compliance and life expectancy compared with single-diagnosis patients (Kruckow et al., 2016).ReferencesRentrop, M., Zilker, T., Lederle, A., Birkhofer, A., & Hörz, S. (2014). Psychiatric comorbidity and personality structure in patients with polyvalent addiction. Psychopathology, 47(2), 133–140. https://doi.org/10.1159/000351784Kruckow, L., Linnet, K., & Banner, J. (2016). Psychiatric disorders are overlooked in patients with drug abuse. Danish medical journal, 63(3), A5207.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared