Profile of Substance Misuse among Adolescent and Young Adult Gabapentinoid Users: A Register-Based Follow-up Study of Former Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatients

Figures & data

Figure 1. Characteristics of participants using gabapentinoids.

Table 1. Adolescence-related socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of participants using gabapentinoids.

	Participants using gabapentinoids			Gender difference, p-value
Adolescence-related characteristics	Total (n = 46)	Men (n = 25)	Women (n = 21)
Family-related factors, n (%)
Family type
Two parent family	16 (34.8)	9 (36.0)	7 (33.3)	0.850
Single parent family	8 (17.4)	3 (12.0)	5 (23.8)	0.439
Out of home placement	16 (34.8)	8 (32.0)	8 (38.1)	0.665
Other	5 (13.0)	5 (20.0)	1 (4.8)	0.198
Parent(s) not at work	11 (23.9)	7 (28.0)	4 (19.0)	0.478
Parental substance use related problems	19 (41.3)	9 (36.0)	10 (47.6)	0.425
Psychiatric problems of parent(s)	11 (23.8)	6 (24.0)	5 (23.8)	0.988
Psychiatric disorders in adolescence, n (%)
Affective disorders	24 (52.2)	10 (40.0)	14 (66.7)	0.071
Anxiety disorders	15 (32.6)	6 (24.0)	9 (42.9)	0.174
Psychotic disorders	2 (4.3)	2 (8.0)	0 (0)	0.493
Conduct disorders	30 (65.2)	17 (68.0)	13 (61.9)	0.665
Substance use related disorders	29 (63.0)	15 (60.0)	14 (66.7)	0.641
Suicidality, n (%)
Suicide ideation	20 (43.5)	6 (24.0)	14 (66.7)	0.004
Suicide attempts	15 (32.6)	3 (12.0)	12 (57.1)	0.001
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)	17 (37.0)	3 (12.0)	14 (66.7)	<0.001
Smoking and nicotine dependence (ND)
Regular smokers, n (%)	45 (97.8)	24 (96.0)	21 (100.0)	1.000
Onset age of regular smoking, mean (sd)	12.5 (2.0)	12.7 (2.0)	12.6 (2.0)	0.873
Nicotine dependence (ND), n (%)
No ND	4 (8.7)	2 (8.0)	2 (9.5)	1.000
Moderate ND	16 (34.8)	11 (44.0)	5 (23.8)	0.152
Substantial ND	26 (56.5)	12 (48.0)	14 (66.7)	0.203
Alcohol abuse
Alcohol abusers, n (%)	29 (63.0)	15 (60.0)	14 (66.7)	0.641
Onset age of alcohol abuse, mean (sd)	13.8 (1.5)	14.2 (1.3)	13.4 (1.7)	0.139

Note: Adolescence-related characteristics are assessed during adolescent psychiatric inpatient hospitalization between the ages 13–17 years.

Table 2. Use of gabapentinoids (pregabalin, gabapentin), opioids and benzodiazepines, and diagnosis of substance dependence up to young adulthood.

	Participants using gabapentinoids			Gender difference, p-value
Follow-up data	Total (n = 46)	Men (n = 25)	Women (n = 21)
Gabapentinoids
Pregabalin (n = 38)
Pregabalin user, n (%)	38 (82.6%)	19 (76.0%)	19 (90.5%)	0.260
Age at first prescription, mean (sd)	22.4 (2.0)	22.7 (2.1)	22.0 (1.9)	0.263
Number of prescriptions, mean (sd)	16.3 (21.1)	16.4 (21.9)	16.3 (21.1)	0.988
Gabapentin (n = 18)
Gabapentin user, n (%)	18 (39.1%)	14 (56.0%)	4 (19.0%)	0.011
Age at first prescription, mean (sd)	22.9 (24.9)	23.0 (2.2)	22.7 (2.6)	0.849
Number of prescriptions, mean (sd)	10.7 (22.4)	13.3 (24.9)	1.5 (1.0)	0.368
Any gabapentinoids (n = 46)
Age at first prescription, mean (sd)	22.5 (2.0)	22.8 (2.0)	22.1 (1.9)	0.296
Number of prescriptions, mean (sd)	17.6 (24.7)	20.0 (28.0)	15.0 (20.5)	0.511
Comorbid drugs
Opioids (n = 33)
User of opioids, n (%)	33 (71.7%)	20 (80.0%)	13 (61.9%)	0.175
Age at first prescription, mean (sd)	21.8 (2.8)	21.7 (3.1)	21.8 (2.6)	0.915
Number of prescriptions, mean (sd)	16.2 (23.0)	13.8 (17.2)	19.8 (30.4)	0.477
Benzodiazepines (n = 37)
User of benzodiazepines, n (%)	37 (80.4%)	19 (76.0%)	18 (85.7%)	0.478
Age at first prescriptions, mean (sd)	19.4 (2.5)	19.7 (2.2)	19.1 (2.8)	0.454
Number of prescriptions, mean (sd)	43.4 (51.1)	54.0 (65.4)	32.2 (27.1)	0.198
Substance dependence disorder*
Number of cases, n (%)	40 (87.0%)	20 (80.0%)	20 (95.2%)	0.198
Age, mean (sd)	19.3 (4.0)	18.6 (4.0)	20.0 (4.0)	0.255

Note: Follow-up data was obtained from the nationwide registers of purchases of reimbursable medicines and care register for health care.

Figure 2. Age at initiation of smoking, alcohol abuse diagnosis, diagnosis for substance dependence, and first prescription for benzodiazepines, opioids and gabapentinoids, by gender among participants using gabapentinoids.

Table 3. Difference (in years), from initiation of smoking, alcohol abuse diagnosis, substance dependence diagnosis and first prescription for benzodiazepines or opioids to first prescription for gabapentinoids.

	Total (n = 46)			Men (n = 25)			Women (n = 21)
Difference in years	n	mean (sd)	p-value	n	mean (sd)	p-value	n	mean (sd)	p-value
From initiation of smoking to first prescription for gabapentinoids	45	9.9 (2.5)	<0.001	24	10.1 (2.6)	<0.001	21	9.6 (2.3)	<0.001
From onset age of regular alcohol use to first prescription for gabapentinoids	29	8.7 (2.1)	<0.001	15	9.0 (2.3)	<0.001	14	8.3 (1.8)	<0.001
From age of substance dependence diagnosis to first prescription for gabapentinoids	40	3.1 (3.8)	<0.001	20	4.0 (3.8)	<0.001	20	2.2 (3.7)	0.015
From first prescription for benzodiazepines to first prescription for gabapentinoids	37	3.1 (2.4)	<0.001	19	3.3 (2.5)	<0.001	18	3.0 (2.5)	<0.001
From first prescription for opioids to first prescription for of gabapentinoids	33	0.7 (2.0)	0.042	20	1.0 (2.0)	0.038	13	0.3 (1.9)	0.576