Chemsex drugs on the rise: a longitudinal analysis of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study from 2007 to 2017. HIV Medicine
Hampel et al. aimed to analyse the trend in the consumption of all recreational drugs over the last 11 years among all participants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), with a particular focus on the use of chemsex drugs and other potentially sex-enhancing drugs among men who have sex with men (MSM).
Drugs referred to as chemsex drugs included N-methylamphetamine (methamphetamine), 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), c-hydroxybutyric acid/c-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) and ketamine. Drugs referred to as sex-enhancing drugs included cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (XTC/MDMA), amyl nitrite and amphetamine.
The study analysed 166’167 follow-up entries for 12’527 SHCS participants, including 7’101 free text field entries containing information about recreational drugs other than cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Overall, there was a stable percentage (9.0%) of recreational drug use (excluding cannabis, amyl nitrite and prescription drugs). For MSM, however, there was an increase in overall drug use from 8.8% in 2007 to 13.8% in 2017, with particularly large increases for methamphetamine (from 0.2 to 2.4%; P <0.001) and GHB/GBL (from 1.0 to 3.4%; P <0.001). The use of each of the potentially sex-enhancing drugs methamphetamine, GHB/GBL, cocaine, XTC/MDMA and amphetamine was significantly associated with condomless sex with non-steady partners, and higher prevalences of depression, syphilis and hepatitis C.
In conclusion, the study identified a significant increase in the use of chemsex drugs, in particular methamphetamine and GHB/GBL, among MSM diagnosed with HIV infection in Switzerland and a strong association of this use with coinfections and depression. In light of these findings, more studies in this field are needed to better understand the relationship between sexual behaviour, drug consumption and depression in order to inform successful harm reduction strategies. This further understanding will not only help the patients and potentially decrease numbers of other sexually transmitted infections, including viral hepatitis C, but will also be crucial to the understanding of the current drivers in the ongoing HIV epidemic.