Some psychiatric comorbidity among patients with substance abuse disorder related to pregabalin

Abstract

Abstract Background Pregabalin abuse is increasing worldwide and frequently comorbid with another psychiatric disorders including generalized anxiety, major depression, personality disorders, and suicide. Eighty-three patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse disorders related to pregabalin were identified from the addiction clinic of El Khanka Psychiatric Hospital in Egypt for this observational cross-sectional study. We aimed to assess clinical characteristics of substance abuse disorder related to pregabalin, suicidal ideation, and psychiatric comorbidities associated with them. All participants were subjected to semi-structured interview designed to collect and identify the sociodemographic data and patterns of substances use, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders to diagnose comorbid major depression and generalized anxiety, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis II disorders for diagnosis of borderline and antisocial personality disorders, Addiction Severity Index, Beck Depressive Inventory, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation and urine screening test for pregabalin and other substances. Results Forty-seven percent of the studied group had generalized anxiety disorder, 74.7% had major depression disorder, some patients had both major depression and generalized anxiety disorders, 78.3% had borderline personality disorder, 37.3% had antisocial personality disorder, and some patients had both borderline and antisocial personality disorders. There was a statistically significant increase in suicidal ideation among subjects with major depression, generalized anxiety, previous suicidal attempts, and borderline personality disorder. Conclusions There is a high comorbidity between pregabalin abuse and major depression disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. These psychiatric comorbidities were associated with high risk of suicidal ideations.