Somatic Complications Research Articles

An integrated approach to the treatment of a patient with chronic tonsillitis. Clinical case

Chronic tonsillitis (CT) is a common infectious-allergic disease leading to severe general somatic complications, including rheumatic damage of joints and heart, kidney disease. Currently in Russia there is an increase in the number of patients with CT. Therapy for CT in outpatient practice is often limited to only washing the lacunae of the palatine tonsils, without the use of local drugs. We observed a 35-year-old patient with a diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis and a history of the disease of more than 1.5 years. A combined method of therapy was chosen, including treatment with the Tonsillor apparatus using low-frequency ultrasound therapy and local use of Viroxinol for irrigation of the tonsils and mucous membrane. As a result of the complex treatment, pronounced positive dynamics and a decrease in the clinical symptoms of CT were achieved.

Mood Disorders in Schizotypal Disorder with Leading Syndrome of Eating Disorders

Background: сoverage of the problem of mood disorders in patients with schizotypal disorder with leading eating disorders (EDs), in childhood and adolescence is relevant. However, concomitant disorders in eating disorder in childhood and adolescence and their dynamics have not been sufficiently studied. The aim: to study the clinical and psychopathological structure of mood disorders in patients with schizotypal disorder and eating disorders leading in the clinical picture. Patients and methods: the study included 50 patients (9 boys, 41 girls), aged 7 to 16 years. Inclusion criteria: 1) schizotypal disorder; 2) eating disorders; 3) mood disorders. Research methods: clinical-psychopathological, psychometric (HDRS, PANSS), follow-up, somatic observation. Results: in patients with schizotypal and mood disorders, the following variants of eating disorder were observed: anorexia nervosa (AN — first type), anorexia nervosa with dominance of bulimia (ANB — second type), anorexia nervosa with dominance of bulimia and vomitomania (ANB + B — third type). Mood disorders in the first type of eating disorder were characterized by a pronounced depressive triad, suicidal thoughts and stupor at the cachectic stage of the disease. Mood disorders in the second type of eating disorder were characterized by a mixed affective state: short unproductive mania, ideas of dysmorphophobia, ideas of attitude, followed by a prolonged depressive state with senesto-hypochondriacal disorders, asthenia, and an increase in cognitive impairment. Mood disorders in the third type of eating disorder were characterized by the presence, of pronounced delusional and dysmorphophobic disorders and ideas of attitude, psychopathic behavior, depersonalization-derealization disorders, asthenia and cognitive impairment. Affective pathology in schizotypal disorder with eating disorder, as well as body dysmorphic syndrome, persisted for a long time. The most severe course was observed in the third group of patients (NANB + B), which was due to a significant proportion of psychotic disorders in the structure of the syndrome and somatic complications due to vomiting behavior. Conclusions: patients with schizotypal disorder with leading symptoms of eating disorder and mood disorders require an integrated approach to therapy, including somatic and psychopharmacological treatment.

What Chemsex does to the brain - neural correlates (ERP) regarding decision making, impulsivity and hypersexuality.

Chemsex describes the use of specific substances (methamphetamine, GHB/GBL, mephedrone, ketamine) which initiate or enhance sexual experiences and is mainly prevalent among men who have sex with men. Many Chemsex users experience somatic complications (for example sexually transmitted diseases) and sometimes adverse sociological, psychological, and neurological symptoms, such as depression, impulse control disorders or hypersexuality. Changes in impulsivity and deficits in executive functions have demonstrated to be associated with addiction and impulse control disorders as well as frontal brain dysfunction and behavioral control deficits. This study aims to explore the effects of neurophysiological correlates of inhibition and decision making in Chemsex users with an EEG paradigm using event-related potentials (N2, P3). 15 Chemsex users and 14 matched control subjects, all of them men who have sex with man, participated in an auditory Go/NoGo/Voluntary Selection EEG paradigm. In addition, clinical data (e.g. regarding depression), demographic information as well as measures of well-being and sexual behavior were collected. The results demonstrated that clinical symptoms, hypersexuality, and sexual risk behavior were more pronounced in Chemsex users compared to non-users. P3 amplitudes did not differ significantly between groups. However, the Chemsex users showed decreased electrophysiological N2 responses in fronto-central brain regions during decision-making, indicating compromised executive function and inhibitory control. The observed impairments may lead to increased risk behavior regarding drug abuse and hypersexuality. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms can contribute to targeted interventions in order to mitigate the negative consequences of engaging in Chemsex and improve general well-being.

COMPARISON OF PSYCHOTHERAPY APPROACHES IN ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA

INTRODUCTION: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and obsessive calorie restriction, often starting during adolescence. It can lead to severe somatic complications such as hormonal imbalances and heart arrhythmias. Treatment typically involves a multidimensional approach addressing somatic and psychological aspects, primarily relying on psychotherapy. Family support is crucial, providing emotional support, motivation, and of a healthy lifestyle maintenance. Individual or group therapy helps patients understand their behavior, change negative thoughts, and develop healthier coping strategies. Family therapy, often using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Adolescent-Focused Therapy (AFT), is common. Treatment is prolonged and requires patient commitment and collaboration with a therapeutic team. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review of studies is based on articles from PubMed and Google Scholar databases, focusing on eating disorders in adolescents, including treatment, psychotherapy, family-based therapy, and anorexia nervosa. RESULTS: Studies and guidelines indicate that family therapy is the preferred method for treating anorexia in children and adolescents, leading to significant improvements in body weight and eating disorder symptoms, with long-term positive effects. Behavioral therapy and AFT also yield promising results in adolescents. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to tailor therapy to each patient, as there is limited research comparing the effectiveness of individual methods, especially in the long term, despite their widespread clinical use.

Methods of correction of hyperprolactinemia induced by antipsychotics: current state of the problem and development prospects

Hyperprolactinemia is one of the common undesirable phenomena of antipsychotic therapy, as it is associated with a number of mental and somatic complications. To date, there are several strategies for the correction of antipsychotics induced hyperprolactinemia, the most evidential basis of which has an addition to the current treatment of partial dopamine agonist — aripiprazole.Other drugs in this group, cariprazine and brexpiprazole, due to a similar mechanism of action with aripiprazole, belong to prolactin-saving drugs. However, their differences in pharmacodynamics may determine features in prolactin effects and attract attention for further study of their prolactin-saving activity.

MODERN ASPECTS OF REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH POSTOPERATIVE CESAREAN SECTION SCAR

The number of caesarean sections around the world is increasing every year. This is influenced by the rapid development of modern medical science, the improvement of surgical techniques, the emergence of new suture materials and broad-spectrum antibiotics, pain relief, and the change in society's attitude to childbirth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), caesarean section (CS) is the most widely used operative method of childbirth today. Determining the role of CS practice in the search for ways to reduce perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality is essential. In some cases, this method of delivery is the only way to reduce maternal mortality: premature separation of the normally located placenta and the appearance of signs of its partial separation, severe hypertensive conditions, including a severe degree of preeclampsia and eclampsia, somatic complications that lead to complications in the mother's natural delivery pathologies.

MODERN CRITERIA FOR DIAGNOSTICS OF PATIENTS AFTER CESAREAN SECTION OPERATION

The number of caesarean sections around the world is increasing every year. This is influenced by the rapid development of modern medical science, the improvement of surgical techniques, the emergence of new suture materials and broad-spectrum antibiotics, pain relief, and the change in society's attitude to childbirth. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), caesarean section (CS) is the most widely used operative method of childbirth today. Determining the role of CS practice in the search for ways to reduce perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality is essential. In some cases, this method of delivery is the only way to reduce maternal mortality: premature separation of the normally located placenta and the appearance of signs of its partial separation, severe hypertensive conditions, including a severe degree of preeclampsia and eclampsia, somatic complications that lead to complications in the mother's natural delivery pathologies. Thus, the tactics of taking women with a scar on the uterus through natural childbirth, with adequate prenatal preparation, the development of criteria for assessing the adjustment of the surgical scar, the lack of special criteria for predicting the probability of natural childbirth in pregnant women who underwent cesarean section, the special urgency of finding a solution to these issues defines. Therefore, it is necessary to study the condition of women with uterine scars, to improve the tactics of pregnancy and childbirth management, as well as the methods of preventing and predicting complications.

Ketamin: a harmful recreational drug

Adolescence is a developmental phase that exposes young people to exploratory behaviors, including substance abuse. In Switzerland, recreational ketamine use among young people is on the rise and is likely to lead to irreversible somatic complications. Primary care physicians play an essential role in identifying ketamine users, and should offer brief interventions, risk-reduction advice and a psychosocial assessment of the situation, involving close relatives. In the event of secondary damage, particularly urological damage, coordinated management by specialists is essential to achieve symptom regression. Primary and secondary prevention measures are also essential in the fight against addiction among young people.

A software tool to support follow-up care in a French childhood cancer cohort: construction and feasibility

BackgroundTreatment summaries and a personalized survivorship care plans based on internationally approved, organ-specific follow-up care recommendations are essential in preserving the health and quality of life for cancer survivors. Cohorts made up of survivors of childhood cancer have made significant contributions to the understanding of early mortality, somatic late complications, and psychosocial outcomes among former patients. New treatment protocols are needed to enhance survival and reduce the potential risk and severity of late effects, and working with treatment databases is crucial in doing so.Construction and contentIn the GOCE (Grand Ouest Cancer de l’Enfant [Western Region Childhood Cancer]) network, in a participative approach, we developed the LOG-after medical tool, on which health data are registered and can be extracted for analysis. Its name emphasizes the tool’s goal, referring to ‘logiciel’ (the French word for software) that focuses on the period “after” the acute phase. This tool is hosted on a certified health data server. Several interfaces have been developed that can be used depending on the user’s profile. Here we present this innovative co-constructed tool that takes national aspects into account, including the results of the feasibility/satisfaction study and its perspective.Utility and discussionThe database contains data relating to 2558 patients, with samples from 1702 of these (66.54%) being held in a tumor bank. The average year in which treatment started was 2015 (ranging from December 1967 to November 2022: 118 patients were treated before 2012 and registered retrospectively when seen in long-term follow-up consultations or for another cancer since November 2021). A short questionnaire was distributed to healthcare professionals using the tool (physicians and research associates or technicians, n = 14), of whom 11 answered and were all satisfied. Access to the patient interface is currently open to 124 former patients. This was initially offered to 30 former patients who were over 15 years old, affected by the disease within the last 5 years, and had agreed to test it. Their opinions were collected by their doctor by e-mail, telephone, or during a consultation in an open-ended question and a non-directive interview. All patients were satisfied with the tool, with interest in testing it in the long term. Some former patients found that the tool provided them with some ease of mind; one, for instance, commented: "I feel lighter. I allow myself to forget. I know I will get a notification when the time comes."ConclusionsFreely available to all users, LOG-after: (1) provides help with determining personalized survivorship care plans for follow-up; (2) builds links with general practitioners; (3) empowers the patient; and (4) enables health data to be exported for analysis.Database URL for presentation: https://youtu.be/2Ga64iausJE

Adolescents and Psychosocial Issues: An Empirical Study

The adolescent period is a time of many upswings and downsides which requires constant support and guidance from parents, guardians and society. Moreover, adolescent girls face more psychosocial problems in contrast to boys, especially in India due to its different social and cultural environment. The psychosocial problems can have an adverse effect on the health of adolescent girls. Thus, social investment in adolescents is important not only for their well-being but also for society as a whole. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is one of the social investment programmes in India which seeks to address such problems in girls. The present research study has been carried out to explore the psychosocial issues of adolescent girl beneficiaries’ of the ICDS programme in Central Kashmir. Furthermore, the role of demographic and socio-economic factors in relation to psychosocial issues has also been examined. The research was both explorative and descriptive, and the data were analysed with quantitative techniques involving ANOVA in SPSS. The results obtained provide interesting insights into the research problems which can be beneficial for many stakeholders. The study results revealed that most of the beneficiaries had psychosocial issues such as somatic complications, adjustment problems, sleep problems, attention problems and sleep problems. However, these problems varied in relation to different demographic variables such as age, gender, education, district, economic status, etc. The research also provides interesting and valuable suggestions to different stakeholders regarding their role in solving the problems of adolescent girls.

“Hermes” - Hemophilia Related Mental Illness: A Cross-Sectional, Multicenter Study in Switzerland

Background: The availability of clotting factor concentrates and prophylactic home treatment for patients with hemophilia (PWH) A and B in developed countries greatly improved clinical outcomes. As the life expectancy of affected patients has increased, the management of comorbidities has become a greater focus within the comprehensive care setting. However, most studies focus on somatic complications. The past two decades revealed a growing body of work reporting increased prevalence of mental health problems in PWH. Given the severity and chronicity of the disease, internalizing disorders (i.e. anxiety, depression) as well as externalizing disorders (i.e. substance dependency, irritability and aggression) seem to go hand in hand with hemophilia. We aimed to assess the prevalence of comorbid mental health problems among PWH in Switzerland. We investigated age effects on this relationship as well as potentially influencing factors (illness factors and environmental factors) that may account for these. We also aimed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and age dependency in this setting. We are heading to identify targets of prevention/early intervention of mental health problems and foster improvement of evidence-based interdisciplinary treatment in PWH. Methods:This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted within six hemophilia treatment centers in Switzerland. Study participants were aged 6-99 years with congenital hemophilia of any severity. All participants or their legal guardians provided written informed consent, and the study was approved by the cantonal medical ethics committee of the responsible states. Participants aged 12 or older underwent a detailed personal psychological assessment followed by completing an online survey utilizing validated psychological measures (HRQoL, psychosocial functioning, somatic comorbidities/parental factors). Participants younger than 12 years underwent a detailed personal psychological assessment with one parent/legal guardian followed by an online survey to be completed by their parent/guardian. In all participants younger than 18 years, we assessed one parent/legal guardian additionally. Results:A total of n=164 PWH participated in the study (133 adult and 31 pediatric participants). Data analyses showed a median age of 39.26 years (SD 20.41). The majority of participants had hemophilia A (n=134, 82%), while hemophilia B was diagnosed in n=30 (18%) of participants. A severe hemophilia was reported in n=85 (52%), a moderate in n=31 (19%) and a mild hemophilia in n=48 (29%). Prophylactic treatment regimen was used in n=97 (59%). Out of n=156 participants with completed neuropsychiatric diagnostic interview, n=38 (24%) participants showed a psychiatric disorder over lifetime. This was significantly associated with disease severity, being more prevalent in moderate and severe hemophilia. We could not detect an association with age, so age does not moderate this association. In n=153 participants with available data on HRQoL, we found a lower HRQoL also to be associated with disease severity (moderate and severe). Moderation analyses could not confirm an association with age. Conclusion:Our data show an association of (lifetime) psychiatric diagnoses and a lower health-related quality of life in hemophilia depending on disease severity. This association is evident in moderate and severe hemophilia and is independent of age despite recent progress in development and use of new therapies going along with suggested lower hemophilia disease burden. Further analyses including somatic and treatment factors as well as parenting are ongoing and will be presented.

Peculiarities of Clinical Symptoms, Somatic Complications, Approaches to Therapy and Outcomes of Delirium Induced by Exposure to Synthetic Cannabinoids: Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION: The use of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) is an urgent healthcare problem, due to, among other things, a high number of complications.
 AIM: To systematize the peculiarities of clinical presentation, somatic complications, effectiveness of empirical approaches to therapy, and probable outcomes of delirium induced by exposure to SCs.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis of scientific publications selected by the keywords in eLibrary, СNKI, PubMed databases, was conducted. According to PRISMA recommendations, 20 articles were taken for analysis.
 RESULTS: Today, it is impossible to predict the period when SC-induced delirium may occur. It can start after one-time intake of even small dose, and can occur both due to intoxication and with the underlying withdrawal state on the 2nd4th days after the last use. Besides classic symptoms, the clinical picture of delirium is characterized by many symptoms of schizophrenic psychoses: hallucinations of threatening or drug-addicted content; secondary paranoid delusion, less expressed than hallucinations; aggressiveness and agitated behavior; some formal thinking disorders; rarely, KandinskiClerambault and oneiroid syndromes. There are reported cases of severe somatic complications in the form of depression of consciousness, rhabdomyolysis, acute renal failure, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, epilepsy, infectious complications with the underlying weakened immunity. Therapy of SC-induced delirium includes detoxification and metabolic therapy, administration of antipsychotics and tranquilizers; use of resuscitation measures in case of depression of consciousness and development of life-threatening conditions. SC-induced delirium lasts from several hours to several days. In most cases, it terminates with complete recovery with amnesia of the period of confusion and asthenia, but in some cases fatal outcomes are reported caused not only by accidents such as road accidents or suicide, but also by somatic complications (most often of infectious character, or multi-organ failure).
 CONCLUSION: SСs remain relevant due to high frequency of their use and continuous emergence of new analogs to substances of this group. They have multidirectional effect, and so far it is difficult to predict at what period the delirium induced by them may occur.

Changes in Indicators of Biochemical Homeostasis in Patients With Moderate SARS-CoV-2

This article demonstrates changes in biochemical homeostasis in patients with moderate SARS-CoV-2 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or hyperglycemia identified for the first time. The results of the study were estimated according to the indicators of a biochemical blood test in the acute phase and the convalescent phase of the SARS-CoV-2. The most significant deviations of homeostasis were observed in patients with T2DM. The development and worsening of hyperglycemia were due to the specific effect of the virus on carbohydrate metabolism mediated via ACE2 receptors located in hepatocytes and pancreatic cells. The development of hyperglycemia in SARS-CoV-2 patients was not associated with the use of drugs with hyperglycemic effects in particular glucocorticoids. The obtained data indicate the blood coagulation system’s activation and the severity of this activation depended on the severity of SARS-CoV-2 and somatic complications.

Somatic systemic complications of pancreatic necrosis: a review of the literature

The analysis of publications devoted to the pathogenesis and prediction of the most frequent complications of patients with pancreatic necrosis was carried out. It was revealed that the issues of development and prevention of the described complications require further study, which will help in creating a personalized model for predicting complications necessary to justify preventive measures and reduce the mortality rate in patients of this category.

Risk factors for new antidepressant use after surgery in Sweden: a nationwide, observational cohort study

BackgroundWhilst somatic complications after major surgery are being increasingly investigated, the research field has scarce data on psychiatric outcomes such as postoperative depression. This study evaluates the impact of patient and surgical factors on the risk of depression after surgery using the proxy measure of prescribed and collected antidepressants. MethodsAn observational, registry-based, national multicentre cohort study of individuals ≥18 yr of age who underwent noncardiac surgery between 2007 and 2014. Exclusion criteria included history of antidepressant use defined by collection of a prescription within 5 yr before surgery. Participants were identified using a surgical database from 23 Swedish hospitals and data were linked to National Board of Health and Welfare registers for collection of prescribed antidepressants. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline data and logistic regression for predictive factors. ResultsOf 223 617 patients, 4.9% had a new prescription of antidepressants collected 31–365 days after surgery. Antidepressant prescription was associated with increasing age, female sex, and more comorbidities. The incidence of antidepressant prescription was highest after neurosurgery, vascular, and thoracic surgery. Affective and anxiety disorders were risk factors. In the whole cohort and within the aforementioned surgical subtypes, acute and cancer surgery increased the risk of antidepressant prescription. ConclusionsThis study brings novel insights to the epidemiology of postoperative antidepressant treatment in antidepressant-naive patients. One in 20 postoperative patients are prescribed antidepressants but with knowledge of risk factors, interventional strategies can be tested.

Complications associated with the treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia

The aim of the work is to review current national and foreign specialized literature on various complications associated with the treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Atherosclerotic lesion of the lower limb arteries is the most common cause of tissue perfusion deficiency of the lower limbs and can lead to their loss. A radical method of treatment for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) remains revascularization. Despite the modern possibilities of surgical treatment and many years of experience in such treatment, the percentage of surgical complications is still substantial. The level of providing qualitative care to patients with CLTI consists in the successful correction of the mentioned complications. That is why the analysis of this problem is an urgent issue of modern angiosurgery. Conclusions. Most complications after surgical treatment of atherosclerotic lower limb lesions could cause both a limb loss and a severe systemic disorder development in general. The presented data of the professional literature review of clinical and experimental studies justify the need for an early management of complications associated with surgical treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia. It would contribute not only to the limb preservation, but also prevent the occurrence of severe general somatic complications.

Topical issues of surgical treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. A literature review

This article presents a review of the current literature on the problem of omission and prolapse of the internal genitalia in women. Patients diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse need pelvic floor plastic surgery. Currently, in spite of the extensive experience in managing this category of patients, there is still no single and unambiguous approach to the choice of surgical treatment tactics.
 This review describes the latest information on the etiopathogenesis of pelvic floor supporting apparatus lesions, namely, systemic connective tissue dysplasia as the main development factor. Prospective development of genetic and immunohistochemical marker diagnosis is the key to individual selection of treatment options for this multidisciplinary problem. The results of interventions are characterized by extreme variability in terms of both effectiveness and the frequency of intra- and postoperative complications. The treatment of rare forms of prolapse after surgery for rectal cancer also raises many questions. The current multitude of types of surgical interventions for genital prolapse and variants of pelvic floor defect closure is constantly being modified. To date, there is no universal treatment option, and all available techniques have both advantages and disadvantages, as well as limited application due to the risk of somatic complications, high recurrence rate, and the need for expensive equipment and a highly qualified surgeon.
 New research is needed, taking into account the current knowledge about the cellular and molecular mechanism of the lesion of the pelvic floor supporting apparatus. All of this will improve the methods of correction of pelvic organ prolapse in both typical and rare forms caused by iatrogenic factors. As a result, this may lead to an improvement in the quality of life of such patients.

Eating Disorder: The Causes and Effects

Eating disorders (EDs) are a group of psychosomatic disorders characterized by abnormal eating behavior and psychological disorders, with high mortality and easy chronicity. Eating disorders characterized by bulimic behavior include binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN) while eating disorders characterized by anorexic behavior include anorexia nervosa (AN). Patients can experience varying mental distress, various somatic complications, and impairment of health and social functioning. Although the pathogenesis of the disease has not been completely elucidated, there is inevitably a strong connection with psychological, biological, family, and social factors. Among them, genetic factors play a tremendous role, with a genetic potential of 28% to 83%. The main treatments nowadays are cognitive behavioral therapy guided self-help (CBT-GSH) which is a kind of cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and family-based treatment (FBT). However, the advent of virtual reality technology has provided new ideas for interventions in eating disorders in which binge eating behavior is the main symptom. Virtual reality technology intervenes with BED/BN populations by taking an emotional and cognitive perspective. Related studies show virtual reality exposure therapy is more effective than traditional interventions for BED/BN populations.

The complexity of cortical folding is reduced in chronic cocaine users.

Cocaine use is a worldwide health problem with psychiatric, somatic and socioeconomic complications, being the second most widely used illicit drug in the world. Despite several structural neuroimaging studies, the alterations in cortical morphology associated with cocaine use and addiction are still poorly understood. In this study, we compared the complexity of cortical folding (CCF), a measure that aims to summarize the convoluted structure of the cortex between patients with cocaine addiction (n = 52) and controls (n = 36), and correlated it with characteristics of addiction and impulsivity. We found that patients with cocaine addiction had greater impulsivity and showed reduced CCF in a cluster that encompassed the left insula and the supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and in one in the left medial orbitofrontal cortex. Finally, the CCF in the left medial orbitofrontal cortex was correlated with the age of onset of cocaine addiction and with attentional impulsivity. Overall, our findings suggest that chronic cocaine use is associated with changes in the cortical surface in the fronto-parieto-limbic regions that underlie emotional regulation and these changes are associated with earlier cocaine use. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to unravel the association of these changes with the diathesis for the disorder and with the chronic use of this substance.

Epidemiological and clinical profile of cannabis users at the Addiction Care and Prevention Centre of the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the world. It is consumed by age groups, the main ones being adolescents and young adults. Its consumption leads to somatic, psychiatric and social complications. Data in our context are scarce. The purpose of our work was to describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of patients with cannabis addiction at the Centre for Care, Support and Prevention of the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients followed from March 2021 to July 2022 for cannabis addiction at the Addiction Care, Support and Prevention Center of the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. The diagnosis of use disorder was based on a dependency syndrome related to cannabis use (single event usage). Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS version 7.1 software. Of the 45 cases of cannabis addiction, 44 (98%) were male patients with an average age of 21,97 years. The most affected age group was between 20 and 24 years (28/44 or 63%); 49% of consumers were students, 62% of mothers accompanying patient to the consultation. The age of cannabis use initiation was 16 years (31%), the most commonly used form of cannabis was herbal (100%) and 100% of patients used inhalation (smoking). The most common complication was amotivational syndrome (31%). Cannabis use initiation occurs at an early age. The most commonly used form of cannabis is herbal administered through inhalation (smoking). The most common complications are amotivational syndrome, cognitive disorders, sleep disorders and withdrawal syndrome.