Spectrum of Skin Dermatoses among Patients of Substance Use Disorder: A Hospital-based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Various substances of abuse are known to cause specific cutaneous manifestations. Cutaneous manifestations are associated with the use of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, anabolic steroids, and general signs of drug abuse, including the stigmata of injection drug use, infectious complications, and vascular complications. However, the literature on the same is very limited from the Indian subcontinent. The purpose of the study is to find out various dermatoses in patients of substance use disorder.Materials and Methods: In the present study, 46 Diagnosed cases of substance use disorder as per the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder-5 (DSM-5)1 and confirmed by a qualified psychiatrist, were taken. The cutaneous examination was performed accordingly. Laboratory investigations were done as per need.Results: Mean age was 42.21 ± 16.64. The majority of the patients were illiterate (41.3%) and 26.1% were either graduate or postgraduate and 21.7% were high school pass and 6.5%were in middle school and the minority had primary school education (4.3%). The majority of the patients had complaints of raised lesions (56.5%) and followed by redness (23.9%), pain (19.6%), burning (13%) and oozing (13%) discomfort and flaking of skin (10.9%), rash (8.7%), light spots (6.5%) and fluid-filled lesions (4.3%).Conclusion: Few substances were associated with specific dermatoses. However, there is very little data, so this study will add upon the minuscule literature on this topic.