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Piacentino D, Kotzalidis GD, Longo L, Pavan A, Stivali L, Stivali G, Ferracuti S, Brugnoli R, Frati P, Fineschi V, Girardi P, Sani G. Body Image and Eating Disorders are Common among Professional and Amateur Athletes Using Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Psychoactive Drugs 2017; 49:373-384. [PMID: 28777732 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2017.1359708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) is not uncommon in athletes and appears to be associated with several psychopathological disorders of unclear prevalence. In this multicenter, cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of body image disorders (BIDs) and eating disorders (EDs) in PIED-using athletes vs. PIED nonusers. We enrolled 84 consecutive professional and amateur athletes training in sport centers in Italy, who underwent semi-structured interviews (SCID-I, SCID-II) and completed the Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) and the Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food Eating Disorder Screening Test (SCOFF). PIEDs were searched for in participants' blood, urine, and hair. Of these, 18 (21.4%) used PIEDs, the most common being anabolic androgenic steroids, amphetamine-like substances, coffee and caffeine derivatives, synthetic cathinones, and ephedrine. PIED users and nonusers did not differ in socio-demographic characteristics, but differed in clinical and psychopathological features, with PIED users being characterized by higher physical activity levels, higher daily coffee and psychotropic medication use (e.g., benzodiazepines), more SCID diagnoses of psychiatric disorders, especially substance use disorder, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), EDs, and general anxiety disorder, higher BICI scores (indicating higher risk of BDD), and higher SCOFF scores (suggesting higher risks for BIDs and EDs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Piacentino
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy.,b Resident, Department of Psychiatry , San Maurizio Hospital, Sanitary Agency of South Tyrol , Bolzano-Bozen , Italy
| | - Georgios D Kotzalidis
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Livia Longo
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Antonio Pavan
- c Professor, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine Service , Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | | | - Guido Stivali
- e Colonel, Aerospace Medicine Institute of the Italian Armed Forces , Milan , Italy
| | - Stefano Ferracuti
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Roberto Brugnoli
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- f Professor, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- f Professor, Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Paolo Girardi
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
| | - Gabriele Sani
- a Professor, NESMOS (Neuroscience, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs) Department , Sapienza-University of Rome , Rome , Italy
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Assi S, Gulyamova N, Kneller P, Osselton D. The effects and toxicity of cathinones from the users' perspectives: A qualitative study. Hum Psychopharmacol 2017. [PMID: 28631397 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to explore the users' perspectives regarding the effects and toxicity of cathinones. METHODS A systematic search of Internet discussion forums yielded 303 threads relevant to the research objectives. The threads were analysed by conventional content analysis where concepts were developed from codes and themes. RESULTS The study identified 3 main themes in relation to cathinone use, effects, and toxicity. The first theme considered the modalities of intake of cathinones in relation to the derivative taken (mainly mephedrone, 3-methylmethcathinone, and methylenedioxypyrovalerone), route of administration (eyeballing, insufflation, smoking, intravenous, oral, rectal, and sublingual), multidrug use, and purity of the cathinone derivative. The second theme characterised the main effects of cathinones, that is, increased energy, euphoria, and empathogenic. Toxic effects were reported regarding the nervous system (anxiety, hallucinations, nervousness, and paranoia), cardiovascular system (angina, myocardial infarction, and tachycardia), skin (discolouration, itching, and allergy), and renal system (difficulty in urination). Drug-drug interactions were also reported including multiple drug use between cathinones, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. CONCLUSIONS The Internet discussion forums provide useful sources of information regarding the effects and toxicity of cathinones, which can be taken into account when assessing the safety of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulaf Assi
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Nargilya Gulyamova
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - Paul Kneller
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
| | - David Osselton
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
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Al-Imam A, Santacroce R, Roman-Urrestarazu A, Chilcott R, Bersani G, Martinotti G, Corazza O. Captagon: use and trade in the Middle East. Hum Psychopharmacol 2017; 32. [PMID: 27766667 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fenetheylline, a psychostimulant drug, often branded as Captagon, is a combination of amphetamine and theophylline. Since the cessation of its legal production in 1986, counterfeited products have been produced illicitly in south-east Europe and far-east Asia. Its profitable trade has been linked to terrorist organizations, including Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. This study aims to reach up-to-date data, concerning the Captagon e-commerce and use in the Middle East. METHODS A multi-staged and multi-lingual literature search was carried out. A list of prespecified keywords was applied across medical and paramedical databases, web and Dark web, search engines, social communication media, electronic commerce websites, media networks, and the Global Public Health Intelligence Network database. RESULTS The use of Captagon as a stimulant in terrorist settings has been marginally covered in the literature. Data can widely be retrieved from Google and AOL search engines, YouTube, and Amazon e-commerce websites, and to a lesser extent from Alibaba and eBay. On the contrary, Middle Eastern e-commerce websites yielded almost no results. Interestingly, the Dark web generated original data for Captagon e-commerce in the Middle East. CONCLUSION Further investigations are needed on the role that psychoactive drugs play in terrorist attacks and civil war zones. Unless a comprehensive methodological strategy, inclusive of unconventional methods of research, is implemented, it will not be feasible to face such a threat to humanity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Al-Imam
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Rita Santacroce
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Robert Chilcott
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK
| | | | - Giovanni Martinotti
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.,Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Gabriele D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Ornella Corazza
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK.,Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Brunt TM, Nagy C, Bücheli A, Martins D, Ugarte M, Beduwe C, Ventura Vilamala M. Drug testing in Europe: monitoring results of the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) project. Drug Test Anal 2016; 9:188-198. [PMID: 26888408 DOI: 10.1002/dta.1954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Drug testing is a harm reduction strategy that has been adopted by certain countries in Europe. Drug users are able to hand in their drugs voluntarily for chemical analysis of composition and dose. Drug users will be alerted about dangerous test results by the drug testing systems directly and through warning campaigns. An international collaborative effort was launched to combine data of drug testing systems, called the Trans European Drug Information (TEDI) project. Drug testing systems of Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Portugal, and the Netherlands participated in this project. This study presents results of some of the main illicit drugs encountered: cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine and also comments on new psychoactive substances (NPS) detected between 2008 and 2013. A total of 45 859 different drug samples were analyzed by TEDI. The drug markets of the distinct European areas showed similarities, but also some interesting differences. For instance, purity of cocaine and amphetamine powders was generally low in Austria, whilst high in Spain and the Netherlands. And the market for ecstasy showed a contrast: whereas in the Netherlands and Switzerland there was predominantly a market for ecstasy tablets, in Portugal and Spain MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) crystals were much more prevalent. Also, some NPS appearing in ecstasy seemed more specific for one country than another. In general, prevalence of NPS clearly increased between 2008 and 2013. Drug testing can be used to generate a global picture of drug markets and provides information about the pharmacological contents of drugs for the population at risk. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor M Brunt
- Drug Information and Monitoring System (DIMS), Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos Institute), Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Daniel Martins
- Agência Piaget para o Desenvolvimento (APDES), V. N. Gaia, Portugal
| | | | - Cécile Beduwe
- Modus Vivendi ASBL, Harm Reduction among drug users, Brussels, Belgium
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