New psychoactive substances consumption in opioid-use disorder patients

Alías i Ferri, María; Pellegrini, Manuela; Marchei, Emilia; Pacifici, Roberta; Rotolo, Maria Concetta; Pichini, Simona; Pérez Mañá, Clara; Papaseit Fontanet, Esther; Muga, Roberto; Fonseca Casals, Francina, 1972-; Torrens, Marta; Farré Albaladejo, Magí

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biology11050645

New psychoactive substances consumption in opioid-use disorder patients

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Alías-Ferri M, Pellegrini M, Marchei E, Pacifici R, Rotolo MC, Pichini S, Pérez-Mañá C, Papaseit E, Muga R, Fonseca F, Torrens M, Farré M. New psychoactive substances consumption in opioid-use disorder patients. Biology (Basel). 2022 Apr 22;11(5):645. DOI: 10.3390/biology11050645

Abstract

(1) Background: Since the beginning of the 21st century, the large number and wide chemical variety of new psychoactive substances (NPS) that enter the market every year has become a public health problem. Given the rapidity with which the drug market is changing, many NPS are not clinically investigated and their effects and health risks are unknown. Drug testing is a very useful tool for this purpose, but, unfortunately, it is not very widespread in individuals with opioid-use disorder under detoxification treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of illicit drugs and NPS in opioid-use disorder (OUD) patients on opioid agonist treatment. (2) Methods: A multicenter, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at two addiction care services in Barcelona and Badalona, Spain. Urine samples were collected from OUD individuals attending these two centers, who anonymously donated a urine sample at the time of a periodical visit. Samples were analyzed by high-sensitivity gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high -resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). (3) Results: Out of the 187 collected and analyzed urine samples, 27.3% were positive for any type of NPS and 8.6% were positive for new synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and its derivatives (NSO). Other frequently detected substances were benzodiazepines in 46.0% of samples, antipsychotics in 27.8% of samples, or cocaine and cannabis in 23.5% of samples. (4) Conclusion: A wide number of NPS, including NSO, have been detected in urine samples from an OUD population. A lack of NPS detection in standard drug screening among drug users can hide the identification of a potential public health problem.