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Pregabalin misuse in French speaking Belgium: quantitative surveys

par Richelle, Lou ;Hogge, Michael
Référence Revue médicale de Bruxelles, 44, 2, page (96-105)
Publication Publié, 2023-05-01

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

Introduction: Pregabalin (Lyrica®) is a drug whose misuse is increasing worldwide. It presents risks in terms of morbidity and mortality, which are increased by poly-drug use. In this study, we tried to evaluate the situation in French speaking Belgium surveying health professionals. Material and methods: Two cross-sectional questionnaire surveys were conducted among social-health services and general practitioners (GPs) to identify the extent of misuse and the profile of users. Results: Pregabalin misuse was reported by 79.6% of the services (N= 59) and 49.6% of GPs (N=224). In one third of the services (30.5%), it concerned a large number or even a majority of the users, as opposed to 2.6% among GPs. The Brussels region was more affected than Wallonia. In terms of profile, the (mis)users were mostly men, relatively young, from marginalised populations (especially new immigrants). However, misuse did not seem to be limited to this population. A proportion of people with chronic pain also seemed to use it extra-therapeutically in GPs, where the proportion of women was also higher. Nine out of 10 people combined the drug with other products, mainly analgesics and benzodiazepines. Conclusion: This study confirms the extensive presence of pregabalin misuse in French-speaking Belgium among groups with a combination of biopsychosocial vulnerabilities, such as migrants and marginalized drug users. Further studies are needed to better understand this phenomenon and to respond appropriately.