Opioid use disorders attributed to heroin and tramadol: sociodemographic and clinical similarities and differences

ABSTRACT

Background and objective

Tramadol misuse is a public health problem in Egypt. The objective of this study was to compare differences between patients with tramadol misuse and patients with heroin use regarding sociodemographic and clinical correlates.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 58 consecutive male patients with heroin use and 37 male patients with tramadol misuse. Patients were assessed by a structural interview of SCID-I of DSM-IV-TR criteria for substance use disorders and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Patients were screened for drugs using a urine test.

Results

Patients with tramadol misuse were more likely to be older, to have higher education level, to be married and have a skilled profession than patients with heroin use. Patients with heroin use were more likely to have a higher smoking rate, younger age of onset of smoking, higher family history of substance use disorders, higher incarceration rate than patients with tramadol misuse.

Conclusions

Patients with tramadol misuse have more similarities than differences compared to patients with heroin use. Although tramadol has a dual mechanism of action and is seen as a molecule with low misuse potential it should be treated as an opioid use disorder.

KEYWORDS:

• Tramadol
• heroin
• misuse
• sociodemographic
• clinical
• Egypt

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).