Pentazocine abuse in sickle cell anaemia patients: a report of two case vignetes

Abstract

The article aims to draw attention of clinicians to the addictive potentials of Pentazocine use in sickle cell anaemia patients and to highlight some of the associated problems of pentazocine abuse. It also hopes to stimulate the need to review guidelines for the use of analgesics in the management of bone pain crisis or other chronic pains. Two case reports of pentazocine abuse seen in a psychiatry clinic at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) Ilorin, Nigeria were made. It was found that both patients who were sickle cell anaemia (HbS) patients were first given intramuscular pentazocine in private hospitals during an episode of bone pain crises. They claimed that though the bone pain crises subsided after a few days on admission, they continued to feign pains in order to be given pentazocine because they enjoyed its dysphoric effect. There were features of pentazocine dependence as shown by intense craving for the drug, excessive sweating, body (not bone) pains, signs of needle pricks on the body, sudden extravagance, begging for money, stealing and poor academic performance among other things. There was no clinical evidence of bone crisis or complications of sickle cell anaemia. It was concluded that more than before, clinicians should be cautious in the use of analgesics which has potential for addiction in sickle cell anaemia and chronic pain patients. Keywords: Pentazocine abuse; Sickle cell anaemia, Nigeria Key words: Pentazocine abuse; Sickle cell anaemia, Nigeria