Understanding pregabalin misuse and dependence: Insights from a North Indian addiction treatment center.

Background: Pregabalin, approved for various medical conditions, has shown increasing misuse potential globally. However, limited research exists on pregabalin dependence in India. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of pregabalin dependence among individuals seeking substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in North India.

Trends of Buprenorphine Prescribing for Opioid Dependence Before and During the Early and Later Part of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study From a Large, Publicly Funded Opioid Agonist Treatment Service in India.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the availability of and access to medications for opioid dependence (OD). We examined the monthly trends in new buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX) treatment episodes, number of clinical visits for BNX, BNX dispensed per person, and BNX prescription over 56 months, which included the pre-pandemic period and the early and later parts of the pandemic (January 2017 to August 2022).

Method: Research data were collected from the pharmacy database of a large publicly funded treatment center in India.

Service users' perception and attitude toward telemedicine-based treatment for substance use disorders: A qualitative study from India.

Aim: We aimed to assess the service user's acceptability, feasibility, and attitude toward telemedicine practice and compare it with in-person consultation in substance use disorder (SUD).

Materials And Methods: We recruited 15 adult patients with SUD who accessed both telemedicine and in-person care. We conducted in-depth interviews on awareness and access, facilitators and barriers, treatment satisfaction, and therapeutic relationship in the telemedicine context.

Prevalence of mixed features in patients with first-episode depression: An exploratory multicentric study.

Background And Aim: There is limited literature on the prevalence of mixed features in patients with depression, especially from countries in Asia. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of "mixed features" in patients with first-episode depression.

Materials And Methods: Patients with first-episode depression were evaluated for the presence of mixed features as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 criteria.

Assist-linked brief intervention to reduce risky pattern of substance use in male workers employed at a tertiary care hospital in India: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Substance use in workplace leads to adverse effects both on the employees and on the workplace. Existing research focuses on alcohol-related harm, while workplace use of other substances has been neglected. There are no randomized controlled studies of brief interventions in Indian hospital settings.

Course and outcome of bipolar I disorder among Indian patients: A retrospective life-chart study.

Background: Indian studies on the course and outcome of bipolar disorder (BD) are scarce and their methodologies vary. Nevertheless, differences from Western ones have been noted.

Methods: A systematic random sample of 200 patients with BD attending a general hospital psychiatric unit was chosen.

The therapeutic relationships, empathy, and satisfaction in teleconsultation for substance use disorders: Better or worse than in-person consultation?

Context: Telemedicine has become one of the essential modes of healthcare delivery. Different aspects of the physician-patient relationship during tele and in-person consultation need to be studied.

Aims: This study aimed to compare perceived empathy and therapeutic relationship between tele and in-person consultation and assess the patient's satisfaction during teleconsultation for substance use disorder (SUD).

Course and Correlates of Stigma in Patients on Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Prospective Study from an Outpatient Treatment Program in India.

Background: Individuals with opioid dependence experience stigma and discrimination. Stigma can potentially reduce treatment-seeking and negatively affect treatment outcomes. We aimed to study the course of stigma and its correlates among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT).

Adverse childhood experiences and substance misuse in young people in India: results from the multisite cVEDA cohort.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increases vulnerability to externalising disorders such as substance misuse. The study aims to determine the prevalence of ACEs and its association with substance misuse.

Methods: Data from the Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalising Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA) in India was used (n = 9010).

Social cognition in siblings of patients with bipolar disorders.

Background: Identifying people at risk of developing bipolar disorder (BD) using endophenotypes is of recent interest. Few studies on social cognition in first-degree relatives of patients with BD have shown inconsistent findings. This study aimed to evaluate the social cognitive deficits (SCD) and its correlates among siblings of patients with BD.

Tapentadol, the new kid on the block in India: Is it time to worry?

Background And Objectives: Large-scale prospective case series of tapentadol abuse or dependence in India is not available. Hence, we aimed to study the prevalence and profile of tapentadol users in a treatment-seeking population.

Materials And Methods: The study had prospective and retrospective arms.

Opioid substitution therapy with buprenorphine-naloxone during COVID-19 outbreak in India: Sharing our experience and interim standard operating procedure.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. It has affected most countries of the world, including India. Both the disease and the unavoidable national response to it have posed unique challenges to our health-care system.

Neurocognitive functions in patients on buprenorphine maintenance for opioid dependence: A comparative study with three matched control groups.

Background: Neurocognitive dysfunction with buprenorphine has mixed evidence, with many confounding factors. We compared the neurocognitive functions in patients with opioid dependence on buprenorphine maintenance (Index Group; IG) with those on naltrexone (NG), opioid-dependent in early detoxification (OD), and healthy control (CG).

Materials & Methods: The four groups were matched for age, sex, and years of education.

The Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (c-VEDA): an accelerated longitudinal cohort of children and adolescents in India.

The global burden of disease attributable to externalizing disorders such as alcohol misuse calls urgently for effective prevention and intervention. As our current knowledge is mainly derived from high-income countries such in Europe and North-America, it is difficult to address the wider socio-cultural, psychosocial context, and genetic factors in which risk and resilience are embedded in low- and medium-income countries. c-VEDA was established as the first and largest India-based multi-site cohort investigating the vulnerabilities for the development of externalizing disorders, addictions, and other mental health problems.

Sexual dysfunction in men on buprenorphine - naloxone-based substitution therapy.

Background: The literature on sexual dysfunction in patients on buprenorphine-naloxone (BNX) substitution is limited.

Materials And Methods: This research aimed to study the prevalence and correlates of sexual dysfunction in men on BNX substitution therapy. We recruited consecutive forty men from BNX clinic, who had received BNX for at least 6 months, who were free from any recent illicit drug use (confirmed by urine chromatographic immune assay), and who were either married or had a stable sexual partner.

Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA): A developmental cohort study protocol.

Background: Low and middle-income countries like India with a large youth population experience a different environment from that of high-income countries. The Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA), based in India, aims to examine environmental influences on genomic variations, neurodevelopmental trajectories and vulnerability to psychopathology, with a focus on externalizing disorders.

Methods: cVEDA is a longitudinal cohort study, with planned missingness design for yearly follow-up.

Age of onset of substance use in patients with dual diagnosis and its association with clinical characteristics, risk behaviors, course, and outcome: A retrospective study.

Research Question: Do patients with dual diagnosis (DD) with an early initiation of substance use and subsequent early onset substance use disorder (EOS) differ from those with late onset substance use disorder (LOS) regarding characteristics, sex-related risk behaviors, course, and outcome?

Objectives: The aim is to study EOS and LOS groups of patients with DD attending a treatment center with regard to clinical characteristics, type of psychiatric disorders, risk behaviors, and short-term outcome.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with DD ( = 307) with regard to the above variables. Diagnoses of both substance use disorders (SUDs) and psychiatric disorders were made by qualified psychiatrists as per the International Classification of Diseases, 10 revision.

Epidemiology of dependence on illicit substances, with a special focus on opioid dependence, in the State of Punjab, India: Results from two different yet complementary survey methods.

Background: We used two different yet complementary methods to capture the 'hidden population' of illicit substance users in the state of Punjab, India: Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS) and Punjab Drug Use Monitoring Survey (P-DUMS).

Methodology: For the RAS component, following a pilot study, Respondent Driven Sampling was used to recruit 6600 community-dwelling substance dependent persons aged 11-60 years from all the 22 districts of Punjab. Size was estimated using benchmark-multiplier method, and prevalence was calculated by projecting these data to the source population.

Initial treatment dropout in patients with substance use disorders attending a tertiary care de-addiction centre in north India.

Background & Objectives: Dropout from substance use disorders treatment is associated with poor outcomes. Although many factors have been associated with an early dropout of patients, the reasons for dropping out of treatment prematurely remain poorly understood particularly in the Indian context. This study was aimed to study socio-demographic and clinical variables predicting initial dropout of patients attending a tertiary care de-addiction treatment centre in north India.

Psychosocial interventions in patients with dual diagnosis.

Management of patients with dual diagnosis (Mental illness and substance use disorders) is a challenge. A lack of improvement in either disorder can lead to a relapse in both. The current consensus opinion favours an integrated approach to management of both the disorders wherein the same team of professionals manages both the disorders in the same setting.

Epidemiology of substance use and dependence in the state of Punjab, India: Results of a household survey on a statewide representative sample.

Background: Despite its political sensitivity, little scientifically valid evidence on the prevalence, pattern and treatment need of substance use in the northern border state of Punjab, India is available till date.

Methodology: The 'universe' for the survey was the entire house-dwelling population of Punjab, of both genders, aged 11-60 years. Stratified multistage sampling technique was used.

Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use and cessation in India: Lessons from user and health care provider perspectives.

Background: The use of smokeless tobacco (SLT) is very common in India and leads to well established adverse health effects, particularly oral cancers.

Aim: To understand the perceptions of SLT users and health care providers regarding the prevalence of SLT in the community, awareness about its adverse effects and challenges for cessation METHODS: Key Informant (KI) interviews with SLT users; Focus group discussions (FGDs) with female and male tobacco users and health care providers RESULTS: KI perceptions among users and service providers were more or less similar regarding the extent of SLT use in the community. There was inadequate knowledge of the harm from SLT use, both among SLT users and health care providers.