Michael Specka
Biographic Data
| ID | 7181038 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Michael Specka |
| GIVEN NAMES | Michael |
| FAMILY NAME | Specka |
| SIGNATURE | SPECKA M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Duisburg-Essen |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5194-7876 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 14 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Consumption patterns before and during the Covid-19 pandemic among patients admitted to inpatient drug detoxification treatment
The pandemic had only a minor influence on consumption patterns and routes of drug acquisition in this sample. It remains to be seen whether the increased use of gabapentinoids and opioid analgesics will continue despite the end of the pandemic
Opiate maintenance patients’ attitudes and self-reported adherence to protective measures against Sars-CoV-2 infections
Self-reported adherence to recommended non-therapeutic intervention strategies and vaccination rates were similar to the German general population. Provision of more health-related information tailored to OMT patients appears necessary
Exploratory Growth Mixture Modeling of Cannabis-Withdrawal Syndrome Trajectories of Adult Pure Cannabis Dependents During Detoxification
As clinical studies about subtypes of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) are scant, we performed a re-analysis of longitudinal data with German adult cannabis-users seeking inpatient cannabis detoxification-treatment. Sixty-seven cannabis-dependents without active comorbidity were included for growth-mixture-analysis (GMM) of their CWS-severity-trajectories during a scheduled 24-day detox-treatment. As of treatment-day 12, thirty-six (53.7%) …
Differences between users’ and addiction medicine experts’ harm and benefit assessments of licit and illicit psychoactive drugs
This study addressed current trends of psychoactive substance abuse (e.g., synthetic cannabinoids, prescription drugs) and provides from both perspectives (that of the user and that of the addiction medicine experts) robust harm/benefit evaluations at least of a core group of psychoactive substances (traditional illicit psychoactive substances, cannabis, methadone, alcohol and nicotine). The results of this study can be valuable to the psychoeduc…
Novel Synthetic Opioids (NSO) Use in Opioid Dependents Entering Detoxification Treatment
NSO and also opioid analgesics did not play a relevant role in the development and the course of opioid/opioid use disorders in German patients referred for an inpatient detoxification treatment
Professionals’ Digital Training for Child Maltreatment Prevention in the Covid-19 Era
The responsiveness of professionals working with children and families is of key importance for child maltreatment early identification. However, this might be undermined when multifaceted circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce interdisciplinary educational activities. Thanks to technological developments, digital platforms seem promising in dealing with new challenges for professionals' training. We examined a digital approach to c…
The Role of Gabapentinoids in the Substance Use Pattern of Adult Germans Seeking Inpatient Detoxification Treatment – A Pilot Study
To shed more light on the addictive power of the gabapentinoids (GPTs) gabapentin and pregabalin, we performed a structured face-to-face interview with GPT-users about DSM-IV-dependence-criteria (sedatives), consume-motives and cessation-needs. Among 100 patients consecutively admitted to a detoxification-ward, fifteen (15%) reported lifetime GPT-use (18-50 years old, 2 females): seven (7%) used gabapentin, twelve (12%) pregabalin and four had li…
Availability of Illegal Drugs During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Western Germany
Background: In response to the COVID-19-pandemic, a lockdown was established in the middle of March 2020 by the German Federal Government resulting in drastic reduction of private and professional traveling in and out of Germany with a reduction of social contacts in public areas. Research Questions: We seek evidence on whether the lockdown has led to a reduced availability of illegal drugs and whether subjects with substance-related problems tri…
New Access Routes to Undertreated Populations; How Do Problem Substance Users Recruited from an Unemployment Office Differ from Detoxification Treatment Inpatients
There was a lifetime and recent treatment gap in the group of long-term unemployed subjects with alcohol and cannabis dependence. The markedly lower educational attainment, chronic employment problems and higher degree of legal conflicts in the client group, as compared with patients in detoxification treatment, might require specific access and treatment options. The co-operation between the psychiatric unit and the unemployment office facilitat…
Is the Urine Cannabinoid Level Measured via a Commercial Point-of-Care Semiquantitative Immunoassay a Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome Severity Predictor
Background: For cannabis-dependent subjects, the relationship between cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) severity and the urine cannabinoid concentrations are unclear; we investigated this using a commercial point-of-care (POC) enzyme immunoassay detecting 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). Methods: Observational study of 78 adult chronic cannabis-dependent subjects assessed over a 24-day inpatient detoxification treatment,…
Ranking the Harm of Psychoactive Drugs Including Prescription Analgesics to Users and Others–A Perspective of German Addiction Medicine Experts
Background: Over the past 15 years, comparative assessments of psychoactive substance harms to both users and others have been compiled by addiction experts. None of these rankings however have included synthetic cannabinoids or non-opioid prescription analgesics (NOAs, e.g., gabapentinoids) despite evidence of increasing recreational use. We present here an updated assessment by German addiction medicine experts, considering changing Western con…
Prevalence of Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) Use in Patients Admitted to Drug Detoxification Treatment
Patients admitted to drug detoxification treatment showed multiple substance use, but this did not include NPS use. The diversion of legal medications such as pregabalin in this group is a serious concern
Long-Term Heavy Recreational Cannabis Use and Serum Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Levels are not Associated with an Impaired Liver Function in Cannabis Dependents
To shed more light on the influence of chronic cannabis use on liver function, we performed a post-hoc analysis of routine lab data of 42 inpatient treatment-seeking (9 female, median: 27 years old) pure cannabis dependents. Serum liver function tests (LFT: transaminases, bilirubin), C-reactive protein (CRP), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), and body mass index (BMI) were considered. The LFT were correlated with CDT, BMI, and cannabis-re…
Drug consumption facility as part of a primary health care centre for problem drug users—Which clients are attracted
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Drug consumption facility as part of a primary health care centre for problem drug users—Which clients are attracted
Long-Term Heavy Recreational Cannabis Use and Serum Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Levels are not Associated with an Impaired Liver Function in Cannabis Dependents
To shed more light on the influence of chronic cannabis use on liver function, we performed a post-hoc analysis of routine lab data of 42 inpatient treatment-seeking (9 female, median: 27 years old) pure cannabis dependents. Serum liver function tests (LFT: transaminases, bilirubin), C-reactive protein (CRP), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), and body mass index (BMI) were considered. The LFT were correlated with CDT, BMI, and cannabis-re…
Is the Urine Cannabinoid Level Measured via a Commercial Point-of-Care Semiquantitative Immunoassay a Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome Severity Predictor
Background: For cannabis-dependent subjects, the relationship between cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) severity and the urine cannabinoid concentrations are unclear; we investigated this using a commercial point-of-care (POC) enzyme immunoassay detecting 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). Methods: Observational study of 78 adult chronic cannabis-dependent subjects assessed over a 24-day inpatient detoxification treatment,…
Ranking the Harm of Psychoactive Drugs Including Prescription Analgesics to Users and Others–A Perspective of German Addiction Medicine Experts
Background: Over the past 15 years, comparative assessments of psychoactive substance harms to both users and others have been compiled by addiction experts. None of these rankings however have included synthetic cannabinoids or non-opioid prescription analgesics (NOAs, e.g., gabapentinoids) despite evidence of increasing recreational use. We present here an updated assessment by German addiction medicine experts, considering changing Western con…
Prevalence of Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) Use in Patients Admitted to Drug Detoxification Treatment
Patients admitted to drug detoxification treatment showed multiple substance use, but this did not include NPS use. The diversion of legal medications such as pregabalin in this group is a serious concern
Availability of Illegal Drugs During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Western Germany
Background: In response to the COVID-19-pandemic, a lockdown was established in the middle of March 2020 by the German Federal Government resulting in drastic reduction of private and professional traveling in and out of Germany with a reduction of social contacts in public areas. Research Questions: We seek evidence on whether the lockdown has led to a reduced availability of illegal drugs and whether subjects with substance-related problems tri…
New Access Routes to Undertreated Populations; How Do Problem Substance Users Recruited from an Unemployment Office Differ from Detoxification Treatment Inpatients
There was a lifetime and recent treatment gap in the group of long-term unemployed subjects with alcohol and cannabis dependence. The markedly lower educational attainment, chronic employment problems and higher degree of legal conflicts in the client group, as compared with patients in detoxification treatment, might require specific access and treatment options. The co-operation between the psychiatric unit and the unemployment office facilitat…
Differences between users’ and addiction medicine experts’ harm and benefit assessments of licit and illicit psychoactive drugs
This study addressed current trends of psychoactive substance abuse (e.g., synthetic cannabinoids, prescription drugs) and provides from both perspectives (that of the user and that of the addiction medicine experts) robust harm/benefit evaluations at least of a core group of psychoactive substances (traditional illicit psychoactive substances, cannabis, methadone, alcohol and nicotine). The results of this study can be valuable to the psychoeduc…
Novel Synthetic Opioids (NSO) Use in Opioid Dependents Entering Detoxification Treatment
NSO and also opioid analgesics did not play a relevant role in the development and the course of opioid/opioid use disorders in German patients referred for an inpatient detoxification treatment
Professionals’ Digital Training for Child Maltreatment Prevention in the Covid-19 Era
The responsiveness of professionals working with children and families is of key importance for child maltreatment early identification. However, this might be undermined when multifaceted circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, reduce interdisciplinary educational activities. Thanks to technological developments, digital platforms seem promising in dealing with new challenges for professionals' training. We examined a digital approach to c…
The Role of Gabapentinoids in the Substance Use Pattern of Adult Germans Seeking Inpatient Detoxification Treatment – A Pilot Study
To shed more light on the addictive power of the gabapentinoids (GPTs) gabapentin and pregabalin, we performed a structured face-to-face interview with GPT-users about DSM-IV-dependence-criteria (sedatives), consume-motives and cessation-needs. Among 100 patients consecutively admitted to a detoxification-ward, fifteen (15%) reported lifetime GPT-use (18-50 years old, 2 females): seven (7%) used gabapentin, twelve (12%) pregabalin and four had li…
Opiate maintenance patients’ attitudes and self-reported adherence to protective measures against Sars-CoV-2 infections
Self-reported adherence to recommended non-therapeutic intervention strategies and vaccination rates were similar to the German general population. Provision of more health-related information tailored to OMT patients appears necessary
Exploratory Growth Mixture Modeling of Cannabis-Withdrawal Syndrome Trajectories of Adult Pure Cannabis Dependents During Detoxification
As clinical studies about subtypes of the cannabis withdrawal syndrome (CWS) are scant, we performed a re-analysis of longitudinal data with German adult cannabis-users seeking inpatient cannabis detoxification-treatment. Sixty-seven cannabis-dependents without active comorbidity were included for growth-mixture-analysis (GMM) of their CWS-severity-trajectories during a scheduled 24-day detox-treatment. As of treatment-day 12, thirty-six (53.7%) …
Consumption patterns before and during the Covid-19 pandemic among patients admitted to inpatient drug detoxification treatment
The pandemic had only a minor influence on consumption patterns and routes of drug acquisition in this sample. It remains to be seen whether the increased use of gabapentinoids and opioid analgesics will continue despite the end of the pandemic
Medicine (14 works) · Psychiatry (13 works) · Cannabis (8 works) · Drug (8 works) · Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (7 works) · Cannabinoid (6 works) · Detoxification (alternative medicine (6 works) · Heroin (6 works) · Internal Medicine (6 works) · Psychology (6 works)