New Psychoactive Substances Consumption in Opioid-Use Disorder Patients
Maria Alías-Ferri,
Manuela Pellegrini,
Emilia Marchei,
Roberta Pacifici,
Maria Concetta Rotolo,
Simona Pichini,
Clara Pérez-Mañá,
Esther Papaseit,
Robert Muga,
Francina Fonseca,
Marta Torrens,
Magí Farré
Affiliations
Maria Alías-Ferri
Addiction Research Group, IMIM—Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Manuela Pellegrini
National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Emilia Marchei
National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Roberta Pacifici
National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Maria Concetta Rotolo
National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Simona Pichini
National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy
Clara Pérez-Mañá
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospital Universitari Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
Esther Papaseit
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospital Universitari Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
Robert Muga
Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
Francina Fonseca
Addiction Research Group, IMIM—Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Marta Torrens
Addiction Research Group, IMIM—Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Magí Farré
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospital Universitari Trias i Pujol and Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
(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.
