Background: The aims of this study were to promote the rational use and supervision of dextromethorphan (DM). This study analyzed serious adverse events such as addiction and mental disorders caused by DM in Shenzhen and the behavioral characteristics of people suspected of abusing DM on the Internet.
Methods: Adverse drug reaction/event (ADR/E) reports from 2017 to 2023 were extracted from the National Pharmaceutical Adverse Reaction Monitoring System database. The sales data from 2017 to 2022 were extracted from an Internet platform of selling DM in Shenzhen. Various signal detection methods were used for retrospective analysis and descriptive analysis.
Results: Signal detection results (ROR = 299830. 00, 95%CI = 26475. 78 -573,184. 22) found a high association between DM abuse and addiction. Dextromethorphan abusers have behavioral characteristics such as low age, long duration of abuse, and withdrawal difficulties. Online sales data showed that the number of purchases (P＜0. 01), total doses (P＜0. 01) and duration of purchases (P＜0. 01) in the suspected abuse group were significantly higher than those in the normal group.
Conclusion: The result is possible to provide more accurate portraits of individuals who were suspected of abusing dexmedetomidine, and therefore has significant implications in terms of promoting practices that enable rational use of this medication.
Keywords: Abuse; Addiction; Dextromethorphan; adverse drug reactions/events; behavior characteristic; mental disorder.