Pattern of novel psychoactive substance use among patients presented to the poison control centre of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Egypt: A cross-sectional study
Ahmed Hashim,
Nouran A. Mohammed,
AlFadl Othman,
Mohab A.K. Gab-Allah,
Ahmed H.M. Al-Kahodary,
Eslam R. Gaber,
Ahmed M. Hassan,
Mahmoud Aranda,
Rania Hussien,
Amany Mokhtar,
Md. Saiful Islam,
Ka Yiu Lee,
Muhammad Sohaib Asghar,
Muhammad Junaid Tahir,
Zohaib Yousaf
Affiliations
Ahmed Hashim
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Nouran A. Mohammed
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
AlFadl Othman
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Mohab A.K. Gab-Allah
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Ahmed H.M. Al-Kahodary
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Eslam R. Gaber
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Ahmed M. Hassan
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Mahmoud Aranda
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Rania Hussien
Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Amany Mokhtar
Department of Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Md. Saiful Islam
Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, 1342, Bangladesh; Centre for Advanced Research, Excellence in Public Health, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Ka Yiu Lee
Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden; Corresponding author.
Muhammad Sohaib Asghar
Dow University of Health Sciences–Ojha Campus, Karachi, Pakistan
Background: Novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) are relatively new substances in the illicit drug market, not previously listed in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC). Strox and Voodoo are considered some of the most popular blends of NPS in the Egyptian drug market. Objectives: The current study was conducted to assess NPS's use pattern: Voodoo and Strox among acutely intoxicated patients presented to the poison control center of Ain Shams University Hospitals (PCC- ASUH). Methods: A single center based cross-sectional study was carried out in the PCC-ASUH among acutely intoxicated patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) over four months (from January–April 2019. using a previously adopted and validated Fahmy and El-Sherbini socioeconomic scale (SES). Data were presented as mean, median and range as appropriate. Both smoking and crowding indexes were calculated and presented as previously reported. Results: Fifty-one patients were presented to the ED of PCC-ASUH during the study period. A total of 96.1% (n = 49) were males. The mean age was 25 ± 7.5 years. The most common NPS used was Strox: 54.9% (n = 28), followed by Voodoo: 27.4% (n = 14). Neurological and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were the most frequent presentations. The most common motive behind NPS use was the desire to give a trial of new psychoactive substances. The mean SES score was 35.1 ± 13.17. Most patients have the preparatory as the highest education 36.0% (n = 18). Conclusions: NPS use is common among young males in preparatory education from different social classes, starting it most commonly as a means to experiencing a new high. Neurological and GI manifestations are the most common presenting symptoms of NPS intoxication.
