[Methods of use and behavior of cocaine addicts consulting medical-legal emergency units in Paris. Clinical aspects and urinary toxicology profile].
OBJECTIVE
Establish the epidemiological characteristics and urinary toxicological profiles of a population of cocaine addicts under police custody.


METHODS
A series of 60 cocaine addicts consulting the medico-legal emergency unit of the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Paris was studied prospectively on the following elements: clinical characteristics, method of cocaine administration and association with other licit or illicit substances. Urinary toxicological analysis, using immuno-chemistry and chromatography linked to a mass spectrometer was systematically proposed to each patient.


RESULTS
Half of the 17 to 26 year-old patients declared having consumed cocaine for the past 2 to 5 years. Inhalation of the vapours and the intravenous route were used more than the cigarette or nasal route. The majority of 26 to 35 year-olds were multi-drug addicted, generally associating cocaine, heroine and tobacco. Analysis of the urine provided an objective assessment of the cocaine consumption of these persons under police custody in Paris.


CONCLUSIONS
Screening for urinary toxicity gives better knowledge on the consumption of addictive products by the person in whom urine was sampled. This study was conducted in cocaine addicts under police custody, and for the majority were social misfits. In this population, the consumption of crack by inhalation predominated.
Bécour
Bertrand
B
Unité Médico-judiciaire, Hôtel-Dieu, 1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75181 Paris.
Menet
Marie-Claude
MC
Questel
Frank
F
Guyon
François
F
Diamant-Berger
Odile
O
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003415:Crime; D003710:Demography; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D010297:Paris / Q000453:epidemiology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D014505:Urban Population; D016482:Urinalysis
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D003042:Cocaine
Modes d'usage et comportements du cocaïnomane consultant aux urgences médico-judiciaires de Paris. Aspect clinique et profil toxicologique urinaire.