The health effects of non-prescribed anabolic-androgenic steroid use: Findings from The Performance and image-enhancing drugs UseRS' Health (PUSH) audit.
anabolic–androgenic steroids
general practitioners
prescribed testosterone
steroids
Journal
Drug and alcohol review
ISSN: 1465-3362
Titre abrégé: Drug Alcohol Rev
Pays: Australia
ID NLM: 9015440
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
07 Jul 2024
07 Jul 2024
Historique:
revised:
17
06
2024
received:
03
12
2023
accepted:
21
06
2024
medline:
8
7
2024
pubmed:
8
7
2024
entrez:
8
7
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
To ascertain the adverse health outcomes experienced by those using prescribed testosterone and non-prescribed anabolic-androgenic steroids presenting to general practitioner (GP) clinics. Retrospective clinical audit from nine GP clinics in major metropolitan areas across three Australian states. Data included demographic and individual characteristics (age, sexuality, body mass index, smoking status and HIV status); performance and image-enhancing drug use (type, reasons for use, patient-reported adverse effects); and blood biochemistry measurements (lipid profiles, liver function tests and red blood cell tests). Adverse health outcomes included evidence of polycythaemia, hypertension, liver abnormalities and hypercholesterolemia. Three hundred men were identified as either using prescribed testosterone (66%; n = 197) or non-prescribed anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) (34%; n = 103). Individuals in the prescribed group were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), gay or bisexual (p < 0.001) and living with diagnosed HIV (p < 0.001) compared to individuals in the non-prescribed group. Abnormal liver function, polycythemia and gynecomastia were the top three adverse events experienced. When adjusting for age, sexuality, HIV status and smoking status, those who used non-prescribed AAS were more likely to experience any adverse event (aPR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.01-1.60; p = 0.038), hypertension (aPR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.19-2.91; p = 0.006) and liver abnormalities (aPR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.04-2.20; p = 0.030) compared to those using prescribed testosterone. For GPs who have clients who may be using, or who they suspect of using, AAS, these findings highlight the importance of not only exploring a patient's history of the adverse effects they have experienced, but that measuring for these other conditions may provide a more accurate clinical picture.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The Author(s). Drug and Alcohol Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.
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