Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie, Suchtmedizin und Psychosomatik, Kliniken Essen Mitte, Germany.
Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Ev. Krankenhaus Castrop-Rauxel, Germany.
Pharmacopsychiatry. 2024 Sep;57(5):255-260. doi: 10.1055/a-2345-7448. Epub 2024 Aug 1.
People addicted to illegal drugs were discussed as a risk group for SARS-CoV-2 infections, with increased susceptibility and a severe course of infection.
In this study, the frequency of SARS-CoV-2 infections of drug-dependent persons admitted to inpatient detoxification treatment in five psychiatric hospitals was determined by implementing routine polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-testing at admission (9/2020) up to one year. Main substance-related diagnosis, comorbid respiratory disease, housing situation, and current opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) were documented. An age-matched control group of psychiatric inpatients without dependence from illegal drugs was established.
Data from 1675 patients (male 79.5%; mean age 39.5 years; opioid dependence 81.5% homelessness; 2.4%; chronic respiratory disease 6.3%) were included. Out of 1365 patients dependent on opioids, 50.2% were currently in OMT. Six (3 female; mean age 40.3 years) patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR (0.36%), and none showed symptoms of COVID-19. All six were opioid dependent, 5 currently not in OMT. In the control group, 11 out of 1811 inpatients tested positive (0.61%).
The rate of SARS-CoV-2-infections in persons with dependence on illegal drugs was not increased compared to a control group of psychiatric patients. OMT is presumably a protective factor, e. g. in the participating cities, OMT facilities offered an easy access to vaccination programs. In contrast, drug addicts in the USA were severely affected by the pandemic. Differences between countries might partially be explained by social factors such as the higher availability of OMT in Germany and a much lower frequency of homelessness.
人们认为吸毒成瘾者是感染 SARS-CoV-2 的高危人群，他们易感性增加，感染后病情严重。
本研究通过在五家精神病院对接受住院戒毒治疗的吸毒者入院时（2020 年 9 月）实施常规聚合酶链反应（PCR）检测，确定 SARS-CoV-2 感染的频率，直至一年。记录主要与物质相关的诊断、合并的呼吸道疾病、住房情况和当前的阿片类药物维持治疗（OMT）。建立了一个无依赖非法药物的精神病住院患者年龄匹配的对照组。
共纳入 1675 名患者（男性占 79.5%；平均年龄 39.5 岁；阿片类药物依赖 81.5%，无家可归者占 2.4%；慢性呼吸道疾病占 6.3%）。在 1365 名依赖阿片类药物的患者中，50.2%目前正在接受 OMT。6 名（3 名女性；平均年龄 40.3 岁）患者的 SARS-CoV-2 PCR 检测结果为阳性（0.36%），且均无 COVID-19 症状。所有 6 名患者均为阿片类药物依赖者，其中 5 名目前未接受 OMT。在对照组中，1811 名住院患者中有 11 名（0.61%）检测结果为阳性。
与精神病住院患者对照组相比，非法药物依赖者的 SARS-CoV-2 感染率没有增加。OMT 可能是一个保护因素，例如，在参与研究的城市中，OMT 设施为接种疫苗提供了便利。相比之下，美国的吸毒者受到疫情的严重影响。国家之间的差异部分可以用社会因素来解释，如德国 OMT 的可及性更高，无家可归者的比例更低。
