[Hospital detoxification unit: 4-year experience. Treatment and infections]

Analysis of the main infections complications in drug-dependents and their relation between the way of consumption and sexual activity; the detoxification treatments used are taken into consideration.

We studied the patients admitted to the HDU (Hospital Detoxification Unit) between 1991 and 1995 revising their Clinical Histories with a protocol made for the occasion; the statistical calculations were subjected to the SPSS program, applying the Fisher's and Chi-square tests.

458 patients were included (males = 365); drug were taken intravenously in 290 cases (distribution from 1991 to 1995: 61, 92, 72, 88-p = 0.05), smoked in 120 cases (distribution: 18, 57, 60, 67-p = 0.01), inhaled in 29 cases (2, 16, 4, 6-p = 0.01) and taken orally 176 cases (29, 50, 46, 50). The Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) was positive in 186 of 403; the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) was positive in 259 of 374 (known = 115/discovered = 144) and incidence with respect to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has p < 0.000001; HIV was positive in 85 (known = 69). Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) were present in 94 patients, 27 of whom were women (p = 0.03), HBV(+) = 38, HCV(+) = 49 and HIV(+) = 52 (p = 0.02). Candida infections is present in 31 HIV(+). Phlebitis antecedents are found in 79 (424), 48 of whom were HBV(+) (p = 0.00003), 60 were HCV(+) (p = 0.000008) and 29 HIV(+) (p = 0.00003). The patients were mainly treated with Clonidina (450) and tricyclic antidepressants (242).

In our study, we observe the increase of intravenous drug users, being phlebitis the most frequent antecedent in HBV(+), HCV(+) and HIV(+); we have also detected a higher number of STD both in these groups and in women as well.