Substance use disorder of equimolar oxygen-nitrous oxide mixture in French sickle-cell patients: results of the PHEDRE study.

Background: In many countries, nitrous oxide is used in a gas mixture (EMONO) for short-term analgesia. Cases of addiction, with significant misuse, have been reported in hospitalized patients. Patients suffering from sickle cell disease (SCD) could represent a high-risk population for substance use disorder (SUD) due to their significant pain crisis and repeated use of EMONO.

"Naloxone? Not for me!" First cross-assessment by patients and healthcare professionals of the risk of opioid overdose.

Background: Opioid-related mortality is a rising public health concern in France, where opioids were in 2021 implicated in 75% of overdose deaths. Opioid substitution treatment (OST) was implicated in almost half of deaths related to substance and drug abuse. Although naloxone could prevent 80% of these deaths, there are a number of barriers to the distribution of take-home naloxone (THN) among opioid users in France.

Nitrous oxide: a unique official French addictovigilance national survey.

Introduction: Nitrous oxide has become over the last few years a public health problem in many countries. France has a dedicated health monitoring system dedicated to the surveillance of the abuse, dependence and consequences associated with the use of psychoactive substances coordinated by the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products.We present the French national survey of nitrous oxide.

New Psychoactive Substances, New Behaviours, New Drug-drug Interactions: Pharmacology of a Slam Session.

Background: Slamming has been increasing internationally for ten years, mostly among men who have sex with men. Slamming consists of injecting psychostimulants (including new psychoactive substances-NPS) intravenously to increase sexual performance.

Objective: The objective of our work was to analyse drug-drug interactions related to slamming.

French national addictovigilance follow-up of zolpidem between 2014 and 2020: evolution of drug abuse, misuse and dependence before and after the regulatory change.

Background: Since the appearance of zolpidem on the market, the occurrence of serious cases of abuse, misuse and dependence have come to the attention of authorities. In view of the increase in the number and severity of cases among zolpidem users and the predominant presence of zolpidem in falsified prescriptions, the French Health Authorities implemented part of the narcotics regulation for zolpidem in April 2017. The objective of this article was to describe the evolution of the abuse, dependence and misuse of zolpidem.

Did the pattern of use of zolpidem change since the enforcement of a new prescription rule? A latent class analysis using the French health insurance database.

Background: In recent years, zolpidem has been the subject of numerous reports of misuse, abuse and dependence. In view of these risks, the French drug agency decreed the implementation of secure prescription pads in April, 2017. The objective of this study was to characterize the impact of this regulatory change on the patterns of zolpidem use.

Poppers Use and High Methaemoglobinaemia: 'Dangerous Liaisons'.

Poppers are legal and largely used in France despite severe side effects, such as methaemoglobinaemia (MetHbia). Our work aimed to assess the prevalence of poppers consumers among patients with a MetHbia higher than or equal to 5% in French university hospitals and its evolution before and after the legalization of poppers in France. We conducted a national multicentre observational retrospective study.

Descriptive analysis of sickle cell patients living in France: The PHEDRE cross-sectional study.

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) induces chronic haemolytic anaemia and intermittent vaso-occlusion that results in tissue ischaemia causing acute, severe pain episodes that can lead to frequent hospitalizations. These consequences can have repercussions on family, social, school and/or professional life. Here, we present some of the results of the PHEDRE study (Pharmacodépendance Et DREpanocytose-drug dependence and sickle-cell disease), which is the largest study of patients with SCD in France.

Change in the regulatory framework for zolpidem: What is the impact on the landscape of the prescription of sedative medications? The French national ZORRO study.

Aims: In recent years, zolpidem has been the subject of numerous reports of misuse, abuse and dependence. In view of these risks, the French drug agency (ANSM) decreed in April 2017 the implementation of secure prescription pads. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of this regulatory measure on the prescription of zolpidem and other sedative medications (zopiclone, benzodiazepines and antihistamines) in long-term users of zolpidem and associated factors.

Prevalence of zolpidem use in France halved after secure prescription pads implementation in 2017: A SNDS database nested cohort study.

Our objective was to quantify the impact on the use of zolpidem of the obligation implemented in France in 2017 to use secure prescription pads to prescribe it. We conducted a cohort study within the French SNDS healthcare database. Patients aged over 18 years of age were considered for inclusion.

French national health insurance database analysis and field study focusing on the impact of secure prescription pads on zolpidem consumption and sedative drug misuse: ZORRO study protocol.

Introduction: In recent years, data collected by the French Addictovigilance Network have shown the potential for abuse and addiction associated with zolpidem (the most sold hypnotic drug in France). Since 10 April 2017, new regulations have come into force that require zolpidem to be prescribed on special secure prescription pads, in order to reduce the risk of abuse or misuse. This measure has far-reaching repercussions that are not only limited to the consumption of zolpidem but also extend to the usage of sedative medication on a whole.

Ephenidine, diphenidine, and methoxphenidine complications reported to the French Addictovigilance Network.

Ephenidine, diphenidine, and methoxphenidine belong to the family of diarylethylamines that are psychoactive substances derived from lefetamine (N, N-di-methyl-1,2-diphenylethylamine, also called L-SPA). These dissociative anesthetic compounds act as potent and selective N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists and were recently classified as narcotic drugs in France. The available data suggest a significant risk of psychic and somatic complications.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: Review of the literature and of cases reported to the French addictovigilance network.

Background: Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is a variant of cyclical vomiting syndrome in a context of chronic cannabis usage. Our aim was to compare French cases to those identified in the international literature in order to further our knowledge of the clinical criteria, pathophysiology and treatments for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.

Methods: We analysed cases reported in the international literature up to 30 June 2017, obtained from the MEDLINE, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library databases; we selected relevant articles based on title and abstract.

The French addictovigilance network clinical assessment: Z-drugs, true false twins.

Introduction: In France, an addictovigilance network is responsible for evaluating drug dependence, by drawing on pharmacoepidemiological studies, clinical studies and by assessing healthcare professionals' reports on problematic consumption.

Methods: The aim of this study was to determine whether zolpidem and zopiclone have different dependence profiles, based on healthcare professionals' reports, and to identify various consumer dependence profiles among zolpidem users and among zopiclone users. Dependence in reports was assessed using the EGAP scale; a scale developed using the DSM diagnostic dependence criteria.

Evaluation of problematic psychoactive substances use in people placed in police custody.

Introduction And Aims: In France, the law states that any person held in custody could be examined by a doctor. The main objective of the medical examination is to give medical evidence of health compatibility with custody. This review identifies health risks such as addictive behaviour.

Gambling disorder: a side effect of an off-label prescription of baclofen-literature review.

The use of high-dose baclofen emerged in 2008 in the treatment of alcohol-use disorders. Its prescription is still off-label in France, but recent trials have suggested the interest of using high doses for alcohol dependence, so we have to deal with an increase in its use. However, we still have few data about the adverse effects of a high-dose baclofen prescription, especially in complex addictive disorders.

Parachuting: a dangerous trend in recreational psychoactive substance delivery.

Medicine diversion for recreational use is a constant concern for health authorities. Parachuting, also refered to as bombing, is used in order to increase the expected effect, to accelerate time-to-onset and to create mixtures of medicines and substances. Aeras covered: Firstly, we analyzed all available scientific literature (PRISMA) and internet forums without any limiting timeframe.

Multicentre study for validation of the French addictovigilance network reports assessment tool.

Aims: The French health authority (ANSM) is responsible for monitoring medicinal and other drug dependencies. To support these activities, the ANSM manages a network of 13 drug dependence evaluation and information centres (Centres d'Evaluation et d'Information sur la Pharmacodépendance - Addictovigilance - CEIP-A) throughout France. In 2006, the Nantes CEIP-A created a new tool called the EGAP (Echelle de GrAvité de la Pharmacodépendance- drug dependence severity scale) based on DSM IV criteria.

Illicit drugs or medicines taken by parachuting.

Parachuting (also called bombing) is a method of drug delivery where illicit drugs or medicines are ingested after wrapping the substance. There are little data describing parachuting in the literature. To provide a description of this practice, all cases of parachuting reported to the national addictovigilance network up to 31 December 2014 were identified from spontaneous reports and specific surveillance programs.

PHEDRE trial protocol - observational study of the prevalence of problematic use of Equimolar Mixture of Oxygen and Nitrous Oxide (EMONO) and analgesics in the French sickle-cell disease population.

Background: The use of analgesics can lead to cases of drug abuse and dependence. It can also cause pseudo-addiction in patients suffering from pain. What is the actual situation in patients suffering from severe sickle-cell disease, exposed to acute pain during vaso-occlusive crises? Evaluation of the use of analgesics, on the basis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for substance abuse and dependence, makes it possible to differentiate the symptoms occurring only in a context of pain, in the aim of managing the pain, and thus describing pseudo-addiction, from symptoms also occurring when there is no pain, and more in favour of true addiction.

Validation and Reproducibility of the Updated French Causality Assessment Method: an Evaluation by Pharmacovigilance Centres & Pharmaceutical Companies.

Objective: Assess the validity and reproducibility of the updated version of the French causality assessment method in conditions approaching real-life use.

Methods: A random sample of 31 drug-event pairs from the French pharmacovigilance database was assessed by the consensual judgement of three experts (gold standard). Separately, a team from a pharmacovigilance centre (PhVC) and another from a pharmaceutical company assessed these pairs using the current method, then with the updated method.

Dependence on prescription benzodiazepines and Z-drugs among young to middle-aged patients in France.

Background: Benzodiazepines (BZD) and nonbenzodiazepines hypnotics (z-drugs) are recognized as one of the most widely prescribed medications in the world.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the BZD and z-drugs dependence in young to middle-aged outpatients who were taking BZD/z-drugs on a chronic basis, and to characterize their profile.

Methods: This is a forward-looking cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Benzodiazepines consumption: does dependence vary with age?

We have compared two groups of chronic benzodiazepines (or zolpidem/zopiclone) users: "Seniors," aged 65 years or more, and "Adults," aged less than 65 years. The study took place in the Pays de Loire region. The questionnaire assesses dependence based on items from the DSM-IV.

An update on zolpidem abuse and dependence.

In 2004, the health authorities (French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety-ANSM) modified the summary of zolpidem characteristics. Particularly it now includes the sentence "a pharmacodependence may materialize." The current article aims to show that despite this modification, zolpidem continues to be associated with problematic drug use, as the official system (Center for Evaluation and Information on Pharmacodependence-Addictovigilance network) providing information on the abuse and dependence potential of drugs informs us.