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. 2022 Jul;43(7):402-405.
doi: 10.1016/j.revmed.2022.06.004. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the recreational use of nitrous oxide in the Paris area, France

L Dufayet  1 , W Caré  2 , H Laborde-Casterot  3 , L Chouachi  4 , J Langrand  3 , D Vodovar  5
Affiliations

Possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the recreational use of nitrous oxide in the Paris area, France

L Dufayet et al. Rev Med Interne. 2022 Jul.

Abstract
in English, French

Introduction: Recreational use of nitrous oxide (N2O) is increasing in Western countries, including France. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some authors warned that recreational N2O use could increase further as the supply of illicit drugs was impacted by various containment measures.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed N2O exposures reported to the Paris Poison Control Center (France) from 2010/01/01 to 2021/04/15. The Poison Severity Score was used to grade severity.

Results: During the study period, 93 cases of N2O recreational exposures were reported (male/female ratio: 1.1; median age: 20.9 years range: [14.8-49.0]). The first case was reported in 2012, 84/93 (90%) and 65/93 (70%) were reported since 2019 and March 17th 2020 (first lockdown in France) respectively. Most of the patients were symptomatic (88/93; 95%) and developed neurological symptoms (78/93; 84%). Among the fourteen patients who developed moderate to severe symptoms, eleven were reported after March 2020.

Conclusion: Despite a marked increase in recreational N2O exposures during the COVID-19 pandemic, the exact impact of COVID-19 on this increase remains to be determined as it was observed from 2019.

Introduction: L’usage récréatif du protoxyde d’azote (N2O) est en augmentation dans les pays occidentaux, dont la France. Lors de la pandémie de COVID-19, certains auteurs ont averti que l’usage récréatif du N2O pourrait encore augmenter, l’offre de drogues illicites étant impactée par les différentes mesures de confinement.

Méthodes: Nous avons analysé rétrospectivement les expositions au N2O signalées au Centre antipoison de Paris (France) du 01/01/2010 au 15/04/2021. Le Poison Severity Score a été utilisé pour classer la gravité.

Résultats: Au cours de la période d’étude, 93 cas d’expositions récréatives au N2O ont été rapportés (rapport hommes/femmes : 1,1; âge médian : 20,9 ans plage : [14,8–49,0]). Le premier cas a été rapporté en 2012, 84/93 (90 %) et 65/93 (70 %) ont été rapportés entre 2019 et le 17 mars 2020 (premier lockdown en France) respectivement. La plupart des patients était symptomatiques (88/93; 95 %) et ont développé des symptômes neurologiques (78/93; 84 %). Parmi les quatorze patients ayant développé des symptômes modérés à sévères, onze ont été rapportés après mars 2020.

Conclusion: Malgré une augmentation marquée des expositions récréatives au N2O pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, l’impact exact de cette dernière sur cette augmentation reste à déterminer car elle a été observée à partir de 2019.

Keywords: COVID-19; Drug Misuse; Nitrous Oxide; Protoxyde d’azote; abus de drogues.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Annual trends in N2O recreational exposures reported to Paris Poison Control Center (n = 93). *In 2021 data were collected until April 15th 2021.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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