The Infectious Complications of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Injection

One million individuals in the United States alone are estimated to be current or past users of anabolic-androgenic steroids. In the United States fifty-percent of anabolic-androgenic steroid users administer their compounds intramuscularly, and twenty-five percent of adolescent anabolic-androgenic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of sports medicine 1999-11, Vol.20 (8), p.563-566
Main Authors: Rich, J. D., Dickinson, B. P., Feller, A., Pugatch, D., Mylonakis, E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anabolic Agents - administration & dosage
Biological and medical sciences
Doping in Sports
Europe - epidemiology
Female
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infection - epidemiology
Infection - etiology
Infectious diseases
Injections, Intramuscular - adverse effects
Male
Medical sciences
Needle Sharing - adverse effects
Orthopedics and Clinical Science
Risk Factors
United States - epidemiology
Viral diseases
Viral hepatitis
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:One million individuals in the United States alone are estimated to be current or past users of anabolic-androgenic steroids. In the United States fifty-percent of anabolic-androgenic steroid users administer their compounds intramuscularly, and twenty-five percent of adolescent anabolic-androgenic steroid users share needles, placing these young adults at risk for infections related to injection. To examine the medical literature for reports of infections attributable to anabolic-androgenic steroids, we conducted a MEDLINE (1966-1998) and AIDSLINE (1980-1998) world literature review to examine all references that attributed infections to anabolic-androgenic steroid injection. Infections associated with anabolic-androgenic steroid injection include three cases of HIV, one case of hepatitis B, one case of hepatitis C, eight abscesses, and a case of fungal endophthalmitis. No cross-sectional or prospective studies exist that document the risk of infections related to anabolic-androgenic steroid injection. These serious infectious complications of anabolic-androgenic steroid injection may be avoided with education and prevention techniques. Infections occurring in anabolic-androgenic steroid users are not as common as in intravenous drug users.
ISSN:0172-4622
1439-3964
DOI:10.1055/s-1999-8841