TOPLINE:
This study reveals that 50% of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute methamphetamine intoxication report suicidal ideation, the severity being comparable to that in patients without methamphetamine intoxication, which calls for interventions to address the issue.
METHODOLOGY:
- The researchers analyzed suicidal behavior in 629 patients (average age, 37 years; 58.3% men) with methamphetamine intoxication (identified via positive urine tests) admitted to an emergency department in Texas from January to December 2020.
- The patients were categorized into three groups for analysis: methamphetamine positive with suicidal ideation (n = 188), methamphetamine positive without suicidal ideation (n = 202), and methamphetamine negative with suicidal ideation (n = 239).
- Suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, and associated medical harm were assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale.
TAKEAWAY:
- Suicidal ideation or behavior was reported in 48.2% of the patients with acute methamphetamine intoxication.
- Compared with men, women had significantly higher rates of suicidal thoughts (73.3% vs 64%; P =.014), suicidal behavior (37.8% vs 25.9%; P =.001), and subsequent medical attention following suicidal behavior (26.4% vs 16.1%; P =.002).
- Alcohol consumption was associated with lower odds of methamphetamine intoxication (odds ratio [OR], 0.402), whereas cannabis use (OR, 1.974), male gender (OR, 2.033), and agitation (OR, 2.338) were associated with higher odds of methamphetamine intoxication.
- No significant difference was observed in suicidal ideation or behavior between the methamphetamine positive with suicidal ideation and methamphetamine negative with suicidal ideation groups.
IN PRACTICE:
Targeted interventions are needed to address the intricate link between methamphetamine use and suicidal risks in emergency departments along with broader public health strategies to combat the increasing use of methamphetamine.
SOURCE:
The study, led by Huseyin Bayazit, MD, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Department of Psychiatry, Lubbock, Texas, was published online in Current Medical Research and Opinion.
LIMITATIONS:
The retrospective design has inherent bias. Furthermore, urine tests for methamphetamine could have yielded false positive results due to cross-reactions with other psychotropic drugs. The selective use of routine screening for suicidal ideation and nonroutine urine toxicology screening may have introduced selection bias. Extrapolating the findings to the general population could have been difficult because of the absence of a healthy control group.
DISCLOSURES:
The study did not receive any specific funding. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source link : https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/methamphetamine-intoxication-may-trigger-suicidal-ideation-2024a100073t?src=rss
Author :
Publish date : 2024-04-15 08:44:03
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