Gender differences in abusers of amphetamine-type stimulants and ketamine in southwestern China

The objective of this study was to investigate abuse conditions of new-type drugs for users who are seeking treatment, gender differences, and differences between the amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) users and mixed amphetamine-type stimulants and ketamine (ATS+K) poly-drug users. A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with a final diagnosis of the substance use disorder according to the Diagnoses and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) who underwent treatment for exposure to new-type drugs at the mental health center of the West China Hospital from March 2009 to May 2011. A questionnaire was used to collect information about socio-demographics, drug abuse conditions and psychiatric co-morbidities. Male subjects were older (p=0.026), had low level education (p=0.003), were less previously married (p<0.001), were more likely to be employed and to hold higher status jobs (p=0.007); 77.1% of subjects had a psychotic disorder, 28.0% of subjects had a mood disorder, 39.7% had an anxiety disorder, and 45.0% had a cognitive impairment disorder. More men used methamphetamine MA (p<0.001), tobacco (p=0.014) and more than one drug substance (p=0.004) compared to women; women were more vulnerable to mood disorders (p=0.034) than men. For the males, the ATS+K patients were more likely to use 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine MDMA (p<0.001) and develop more psychotic disorders (p=0.04) than the ATS patients; for females, the ATS+K patients were more likely to use MDMA (p=0.002), alcohol (p=0.014) and develop more cognitive impairment disorder (p=0.034). The present study found that the new-type drug patients have a high degree of psychiatric morbidities; more men were using MA, tobacco and multi-substance and more women patients experience mood disorder in the gender differences. For the males, the ATS+K patients were more likely to use MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and develop more psychotic disorders than the ATS patients; for females, the ATS+K patients were more likely to use MDMA, alcohol and develop more cognitive impairment disorder. These results suggested that the psychiatrists should focus on the mood disorder among females, psychotic disorders among males who abuse ATS and ketamine, and cognitive impairment disorder for the females who abuse ATS and ketamine.