Comments on “a comparative study of sexual behavior, dysfunction, satisfaction, relationship, and sexual quality of life among treatment naïve and abstinent men (buprenorphine maintained) with opioid (heroin) dependence syndrome”
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Sir, We appreciated the efforts made by Sen et al.[1] in their documentation related to sexual behavior and related parameters between treatment naive and abstinent men on maintenance treatment with buprenorphine among persons with opioid dependence syndrome. The findings of their study narrate the importance of abstinent period with buprenorphine maintenance treatment of opioid dependence syndrome on risky sexual behavior. The article of this comparative study was discussed in our department weekly journal club, and some lacunae were revealed during brain storming discussion among faculty and residents of the journal club. Firstly, the authors reported the purposive sampling technique used in their study, which could have led to bias in the results. The authors did not specify the time duration given for detoxification of the patients included in the study groups, although it is expected that it must have been performed. Secondly, the authors mention that they have used the NSS-short form while scoring provided in the methods and the results section is that of the longer version. Similarly, the range of scores for patients in the Table 5 for the IIEF is not in accordance with what is expected for the 6 (six) items, which were used in this study. Thirdly, it is an interesting finding that the patients who were on buprenorphine therapy fared better on the aspects of current practices of casual partner sex, sex with commercial sex workers, and sex under intoxication. However, some of these might have been affected by being on OST, but another important confounder of personality has not been addressed. Lastly, the persons with dual diagnosis and tobacco use, alcohol use, cannabis use, and injecting drug users were also recruited, which could be confounding factors and findings could be misleading. Proper data cleaning and statistical analysis are weak. Nevertheless, authors have made an attempt to touch a sensitive and clinically relevant topic in day-to-day deaddiction practices. Previously, Chawla et al.[2] studied the emotional aspects of substance use and reported poor self-esteem and relationship, poor sexual quality of life and sexual satisfaction, higher premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction in persons with opioid dependence syndrome. These studies highlight the need for more research work in this area is needed from different zones of India. A large multicentric study particularly with methadone maintenance therapy would add to further finding of this novel first-time study. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Source: Indian Journal of Psychiatry
Authors: Gurvinder P. Singh, Meghna Gupta, Jitender Aneja
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4385899493