A comparison of symptoms and drug use between patients with methamphetamine associated psychoses and patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in two acute psychiatric wards

• Published in: Psychiatry research Vol. 206; no. 1; pp. 17 - 21
• Main Authors: Medhus, Sigrid, Mordal, Jon, Holm, Bjørn, Mørland, Jørg, Bramness, Jørgen G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ireland Ltd 30-03-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - blood; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - psychology; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - urine; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug addiction; Drugs of dependence disorders; Female; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; Inpatient treatment; Male; Medical sciences; Methamphetamine - blood; Methamphetamine - urine; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Psychoses; Psychotic disorders; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - chemically induced; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenic Psychology; Psychotic disorders; Drugs of dependence disorders; Inpatient treatment; Amphetamine derivatives; Human; Drug addiction; CNS stimulant; Illicit drug; Psychotropic; Acute; Metamfetamine; Schizophrenia; Hospital environment; Substance abuse; Sympathomimetic; Psychosis; Symptomatology; Treatment; Hospital ward; Psychiatry; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.09.023

Abstract Psychosis induced by the use of amphetamine or methamphetamine leads to dramatic symptoms and frequent readmissions and poses diagnostic challenges. Earlier studies have often relied on history taking and/or urine samples to reveal drug use. The aim of this study was to compare the psychotic symptoms of two groups: (1) acutely admitted patients who tested positive for methamphetamines and were diagnosed with drug-induced or methamphetamine-induced psychoses and (2) acutely admitted patients who tested negative for methamphetamines and were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Blood and urine samples were used. In addition, we investigated whether the severity of symptoms, in those who tested positive, was related to the blood concentration of methamphetamine. Of 285 patients who volunteered blood and/or urine samples within 48 h of admission, 37 (13%) had recently taken methamphetamine. Positive psychotic symptoms between the two groups were compared by PANSS using the positive subscale. The results showed no differences in positive psychotic symptoms between the two groups. The severity of positive psychotic symptoms in patients with three different levels of urine/blood methamphetamine concentrations, were compared. We found no clinically or statistically significant relationship between blood methamphetamine levels and severity of psychotic symptoms.