Poppers regulation for public sale: No measure in France yet

Poppers use and HIV infection-a literature review

INTRODUCTION

During the HIV surge in the 1980s, inhaled volatile nitrites (poppers) were hypothesized as a possible cause of the AIDS. Later it was found that poppers use was not the cause but rather a marker associated with HIV acquisition and sexual behaviors without the use of prevention tools.

OBJECTIVES

This article reviews the available literature regarding the association between poppers use and newly acquired HIV, aiming to support the hypothesis that there is no causal association between nitrites use and HIV transmission and to discuss other contributing factors.

METHODS

We searched all studies published until March 2022 that discussed poppers use and HIV. We extracted relevant information, such as authors and publication year, country where the study was conducted, study design, characteristics of the population, number of participants, objectives of the study, methods, results, and limitations.

RESULTS

The search identified 1956 abstracts, and 1915 were excluded after title review. Forty-one abstracts were assessed, and 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies found an association between nitrites use and HIV transmission. Four studies associated HIV transmission with sexual behavior without the use of prevention tools, and 5 articles associated nitrites use with this kind of sexual behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show a complex association among nitrites use, sexual behaviors without the use of prevention tools, and sexually transmitted infections; furthermore, it is impossible to make causal inferences between poppers use and HIV disease. The data suggest that it is vital to consider this substance use when planning health policies for specific populations, such as men who have sex with men, focusing on harm reduction strategies, psychoeducation, and orientations on sex with the use of prevention tools.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020181437. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=181437.

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. All patients for whom at least one MetHbia measurement was performed from 2012 to 2017 in university hospitals where the French addictovigilance network (FAN) is implanted were included. For each MetHbia measurement exceeding or equal to 5%, a return to the clinical file was made by the FAN to assess poppers consumption. We calculated the prevalence of MetHbia exceeding or equal to 5% and 25% and the prevalence of poppers consumption before and after the legalization. A total of 239 (0.14%) patients had a MetHbia level exceeding or equal to 5% with 25 (10.46%) cases of poppers consumption. Poppers consumption represented 68.4% (13 out of 19) of cases with MetHbia greater than or equal to 25%. Poppers consumption among patients with MetHbia exceeding or equal to 5% increased after the legalization from 4.76% to 11.67% (prevalence ratio PR = 2.45, 95% CI = [0.98–8.37], p-value = 0.190). The proportion of patients with a MetHbia level of 25% or more increased after the legalization from 4.76% to 8.63% (PR = 1.81, 95% CI = [0.68–6.82], p-value = 0.374). The use of poppers is very frequently reported by patients with MetHbia greater than or equal to 25%.