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Sexual and bladder dysfunction in male ketamine abusers: A large-scale questionnaire study.

Stephen She-Dei Yang, Mei-Yu Jang, Kau-Han Lee, Wen-Tsang Hsu, Yi-Chu Chen, Wan-San Chen, Shang-Jen Chang

PLoS One 2018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207927 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed
Sample size 1,056
Population Male illicit ketamine abusers in Taiwan, including 993 caught by police on the street and 63 patients visiting urologic clinics, with a mean age of 27.4 years
Measures International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms and Problem Index (ICSI and ICPI), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5)
Topics Esketamine Ketamine
Key findings Erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms were frequently observed among male ketamine abusers. ED was present in 30.8% overall and was more common among hospital-recruited users than street users (69.6% vs. 28.0%). Risk factors for ED included age 30 or older, while abstinence of three months or longer was protective among street users. Lower urinary tract symptoms were associated with age 30 or older, ketamine use for 24 months or more, and co-use of other illicit drugs.

Abstract

To evaluate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED) in the illicit male ketamine abusers (KA). The male street KAs caught by policemen and patients visiting urologic clinics were invited to answer a structured questionnaire including demographic data, illicit drug use related details (duration, frequency, dosage and abstinence status), international prostate symptoms score (IPSS), interstitial cystitis symptoms and problem index (ICSI and ICPI) and International index of erectile function (IIEF-5). Erectile dysfunction was defined as IIEF-5 ≦21. Finally, we included 1056 participants (993 street, 63 hospital KAs) with a mean age of 27.4 ±6.2 years. ED presented in 30.8% of all KAs. and Hospital KAs were more subject to having ED than street KAs (69.6% vs. 28.0%, p<0.01). Multi-variate analysis revealed that risk factor for male ED were age ≧30 years (OR = 1.765). Subgroup analysis on male street KAs disclosed that abstinence ≧3 months is a protective factor for ED. Lower urinary tract symptoms (ICSI+ICPI ≧12) was prevalent in KAs and multivariate analysis disclosed that significant risk factors for LUTS (ICSI+ICPI ≧12) were age ≧30 years, duration ≧24 months and co-use of other illicit drugs. Male ED and LUTS were frequently observed in the ketamine abusers. We suggested that street ketamine abuse should be considered in young men presented with ED and LUTS in the clinics.

Comparable studies

Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ketamine, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
5-Year Trends in Use of Hallucinogens and Other Adjunct Drugs among UK Dance Drug Users People who use drugs in dance contexts 2006 Repeated-measures cross-sectional survey
Preliminary analysis of positive and negative syndrome scale in ketamine-associated psychosis in comparison with schizophrenia Healthy subjects, ketamine abusers, and schizophrenia patients 2014 Cross-sectional study n = 998
Ketamine as a primary predictor of out-of-body experiences associated with multiple substance use Online survey respondents 2011 Cross-sectional survey n = 192
Self-reported prevalence of dependence of MDMA compared to cocaine, mephedrone and ketamine among a sample of recreational poly-drug users Global non-treatment-seeking sample of last year users of MDMA, cocaine, mephedrone,... 2014 Cross-sectional survey
Near-Death States Reported in a Sample of 50 Misusers Previous ketamine misusers who reported a ketamine-related near-death experience 2010 Cross-sectional survey n = 50

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