RECREATIONAL drug use among young patients with type 1 diabetes is occurring at concerning levels and may be an under-recognised contributor to poor glycaemic control, a national study suggests.

Using an online and paper-based questionnaire, Dr Paul Lee and colleagues from the department of endocrinology at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney surveyed 324 patients with type 1 diabetes to determine the prevalence and pattern of recreational drug use and its impact on glycaemia.

Approximately 77% of the survey respondents indicated they had used recreational drugs at least once, and more than half had done so in the past month. The average age of respondents was 31.

“A significant proportion [close to 50%] reported drug use within the past 12 months and, even more scarily, close to a third of them reported daily drug use,” Dr Lee told the recent annual scientific meeting of the Australian Diabetes Society and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association in Adelaide.

Poly drug use was also common, with 75% of respondents reporting use of more than three drugs in the past year. Twenty-two respondents reported diabetic ketoacidosis following drug use.

The finding contrasts with a 2007 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, which found 38% of Australians aged 14 years and older had used an illicit drug at least once.

“Recreational drug use is highly prevalent in young adults with type 1 diabetes, it’s under-reported, and may be a neglected contributor to poor glycaemic control,” Dr Lee said.

A key finding was that only 7% of those who reported drug use had told their GP or another health professional. Dr Lee indicated that poor glycaemic control, in the absence of identifiable contributing factors, could be a clue to discussing drug use with these patients.

The six most commonly used recreational drugs among those surveyed were cannabis (used by 84% of respondents who admitted to recreational drug use), ecstasy (72%), amphetamines (50%), cocaine (45%), ice (21%) and ketamine (15 per cent).

More from the ADS/ADEA annual scientific meeting: Guidelines for individualised HbA1c targets to be released soon; Fibrate's CVD benefit in type 2 diabetes underestimated; Dopplers useful for detecting PVD in diabetes