Onset and Severity of Early Disruptive Behavioral Disorders in Treatment-Seeking Substance Use Disorder Patients with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Aims: This study addressed the age of onset of conduct disorder (CD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) in treatment-seeking substance use disorder (SUD) patients with and without adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its association with early onset of SUD.

Methods: We examined data from the 2nd International ADHD in Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study, including 400 adults in SUD treatment from Puerto Rico, Hungary, and Australia. ADHD, SUD, and CD/ODD were assessed with the Conners Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV, the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the K-SADS, respectively.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Global Severity Profiles in Treatment-Seeking Patients with Substance Use Disorders.

Introduction: Comorbid attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is present in 15-25% of all patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). Some studies suggest that comorbid ADHD increases clinical severity related to SUDs, other psychiatric comorbidities, and social impairment, but could not disentangle their respective influences.

Objectives: To investigate whether comorbid adult ADHD in treatment-seeking SUD patients is associated with more severe clinical profiles in these domains assessed altogether.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Increases Nicotine Addiction Severity in Adults Seeking Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: The Role of Personality Disorders.

Aims: To examine the role of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulsive personality disorders in nicotine addiction severity among treatment-seeking substance use disorder (SUD) patients.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we examined data from the second International ADHD in Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study (IASP-2) on 402 adults in SUD treatment from Puerto Rico, Hungary, and Australia using diagnostic interviews for ADHD, antisocial (ASP) and borderline (BPD) personality disorders, and the self-report Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND). We compared SUD patients with and without ADHD on nicotine addiction severity.

Validity of the ADHD module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview PLUS for screening of adult ADHD in treatment seeking substance use disorder patients: ADHD screening with MINI-Plus.

Objective: This study aims to assess the validity of the ADHD module of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI-Plus) in patients with substance use disorders (SUD), using the Conners' Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV (CAADID) as the external criterion.

Method: A cross sectional international multi-center study in 10 countries was conducted in treatment seeking SUD patients. A sample of 1263 patients with both MINI-Plus and CAADID was analyzed to determine the psychometric properties of the MINI-Plus.

Sex, Drugs, and Impulse Regulation: A Perspective on Reducing Transmission Risk Behavior and Improving Mental Health Among MSM Living With HIV.

Unprotected sexual contact continues to be a main cause of HIV transmission and poses certain key populations at increased risk for HIV infection. One of the populations at high risk are men who have sex with men. A subset of MSM engages in chemsex, whereby consumption of illicit drugs is used to facilitate or enhance sexual activity.

Long-term effectiveness of web-based cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with eating disorders.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of a web-based therapist-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for patients with eating disorders (ED).

Methods: We used follow-up data from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated a web-based CBT on ED psychopathology and related health, compared to a waiting list control (WL) condition. As participants of the WL condition started the intervention after their waiting period, follow-up data included participants from both groups.

Exploring Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Cell Adhesion Molecules as Biomarkers for the Transdiagnostic Symptom Anhedonia in Alcohol Use Disorder and Comorbid Depression.

Background: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and depressive disorder often co-exist and have a shared heritability. This study aimed to investigate Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and three Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs) as transdiagnostic biomarkers in AUD and depression co-morbidity.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, patients with AUD (n=22), AUD and depression (n=19), and healthy controls (n=20) were examined.

Psychometric Properties of the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory: Replication and Extension across Clinical and Non-Clinical Samples.

The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory aims at assessing personality features that underlie externalizing disorders such as substance abuse and antisocial behaviors. The objective was to replicate the psychometric properties of the 160-item Externalizing Spectrum Inventory in Dutch clinical and non-clinical samples. First, Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability and the factor structure were analyzed on a mixed sample of inpatients (n = 149), undergraduates (n = 227), and community participants (n = 178).

Tapering with Pharmaceutical GHB or Benzodiazepines for Detoxification in GHB-Dependent Patients: A Matched-Subject Observational Study of Treatment-as-Usual in Belgium and The Netherlands.

Background: The gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) withdrawal syndrome often has a fulminant course, with a rapid onset and swift progression of severe complications. In clinical practice, two pharmacological regimens are commonly used to counteract withdrawal symptoms during GHB detoxification: tapering with benzodiazepines (BZDs) or tapering with pharmaceutical GHB. In Belgium, standard treatment is tapering with BZDs, while in the Netherlands, pharmaceutical GHB is the preferred treatment method.

Effects of Recreational GHB Use and Multiple GHB-Induced Comas on Brain Structure and Impulsivity.

Background And Aims: The regular use of gamma-hydroxybutyrate acid (GHB) can induce GHB-induced comas. Other substance use disorders are associated with alterations in brain structure and impulsivity. Here we aim to investigate if these are also modulated by either regular GHB use or GHB-induced comas.

Psychometric properties of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in healthy participants aged 18-70.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a cognitive screen, available in three alternate versions. Aims of the current study were to examine the effects of age, education and intelligence on MoCA performance and to determine the alternate-form equivalence and test-retest reliability of the MoCA, in a group of healthy participants. In 210 participants, two MoCA versions and an estimator for premorbid intelligence were administered at two time points.

Physicians' norms and attitudes towards substance use in colleague physicians: A cross-sectional survey in the Netherlands.

Introduction: Substance use disorders (SUD) in physicians often remain concealed for a long time. Peer monitoring and open discussions with colleagues are essential for identifying SUD. However, physicians often feel uncomfortable discussing substance use with a colleague.

Improving medical students' attitude toward patients with substance use problems through addiction medicine education.

Patients with addiction often encounter negative attitudes from health care professionals, including medical doctors. Addiction medicine training might improve medical students' attitudes toward patients with addiction problems and change the way they think about addiction. We evaluated the effect of comprehensive addiction medicine training on students' attitudes and illness perceptions and explored which perceptions are most relevant for attitude development.

Palliative care for patients with substance use disorder and multiple problems: a qualitative study on experiences of healthcare professionals, volunteers and experts-by-experience.

Background: There is little information about how healthcare professionals feel about providing palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder (SUD). Therefore, this study aims to explore: 1) the problems and needs experienced by healthcare professionals, volunteers and experts-by-experience (HCP/VE) during their work with patients with SUD in a palliative care trajectory and; 2) to make suggestions for improvements using the quality of care model by Donabedian (Structure, Process, Outcome).

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of six focus group interviews which consisted of HCP/VE working with patients with SUD in a palliative care phase.

Severe illicit gamma-hydroxybutyric acid withdrawal in a pregnant woman: what to do?

This case report presents the case of a 29 weeks pregnant woman in her late twenties who was seen at the emergency department of a hospital with a seizure of unknown cause. By anamnesis and hetero-anamnesis the use of illicit gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) was revealed. Examination showed dilated pupils, sweating, tremor, tachycardia and bradyphrenic thinking.

Addiction-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy as an Adjunct to Regular Outpatient Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: This study examined the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of addiction-focused eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (AF-EMDR) treatment, as an add-on intervention to treatment as usual (TAU).

Methods: Adult outpatients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) (N = 109) who already received or had just started with TAU (Community Reinforcement Approach) were recruited at 6 outpatient addiction care facilities. They were randomly assigned to either TAU + 7 weekly 90-minute sessions of AF-EMDR (N = 55) or TAU-only (N = 54).

The prediction of alexithymia as a state or trait characteristic in patients with substance use disorders and PTSD.

Alexithymia is common in patients with a substance use disorder (SUD) and is possibly a negative prognostic factor in their treatment. The aim of this study was twofold. First, we explored whether SUD patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more alexithymic than SUD patients without PTSD.

Attentional bias, craving and cannabis use in an inpatient sample of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cannabis use disorder: The moderating role of cognitive control.

Motivational processes like attentional bias and craving have been related to substance use. However, results are inconclusive. The present cross-sectional study was designed to replicate and extend previous research by investigating the relationships between attentional bias, craving, cognitive control and (severity of) cannabis use in a sample of inpatient adolescents and young adults (aged 18-30) diagnosed with CUD according to DSM-5.

Trends in use and misuse of opioids in the Netherlands: a retrospective, multi-source database study.

Background: The USA is currently facing a serious opioid misuse epidemic that started with increased prescribing of oxycodone and the inclusion of pain as a fifth vital sign, and eventually resulted in massive overdose mortality. In Europe, including the Netherlands, the medical use of opioids (mainly oxycodone) has also increased since 2009, but an increase in proxies for opioid misuse has not yet been described.

Methods: For this retrospective, multi-source database study, data were requested from several national databases in the Netherlands to evaluate the following time trends: (1) number of people with opioid prescriptions, (2) number of hospital admissions related to opioid intoxication, (3) number of people treated for opioid use disorder, and (4) number of people who died from opioid poisoning.

A Systematic Review of Substance Use (Disorder) in Individuals with Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability.

Although the attention for substance use (SU) and SU disorders (SUD) among individuals with mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID) has been growing exponentially, this form of dual diagnosis has largely been ignored by addiction medicine. In this article, we systematically review the research between January 2000 and June 2018 on the prevalence, assessment, and treatment of SU(D) among children, adolescents, and adults with MBID. A total of 138 articles were included.

Palliative care for people with substance use disorder and multiple problems: a qualitative study on experiences of patients and proxies.

Background: Systematic research into palliative care (PC) for people with substance use disorder (SUD) and multiple problems is scarce. The existing literature shows problems in the organizational structure of this care, e.g.

A Qualitative Approach in Understanding Illness Perception and Treatment Needs in Patients with Gamma Hydroxybutyrate Use Disorder.

Background: The party drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is highly addictive. GHB use disorder (GUD) has poor treatment outcome, with relapse rates over 60% within 3 months after detoxification. In order to get a better understanding of the limited treatment success, we explored GUD patients' illness perceptions and treatment needs.

Iatrogenic opioid use disorder, chronic pain and psychiatric comorbidity: A systematic review.

Objective: A systematic review of the literature on the risks of developing iatrogenic opioid use disorders in chronic pain patients with psychiatric comorbidity.

Methods: We conducted literature searches on Pubmed with key subjects: "chronic pain", "psychiatry", "opioids" and "opioid use disorder" and for original, English written articles published from 2000 until the first of September 2017. Final selection of the articles for review was made in a consensus between three reviewers.