‘Inhalants’ have been associated with poorer mental health in adolescence, but little is known of associations with specific types of inhalants.

We aimed to investigate associations of using volatile substances, nitrous oxide and alkyl nitrates with mental health problems in adolescence.

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from 13- to 14-year-old adolescents across England and Wales collected between September 2019 and March 2020. Multilevel logistic regression examined associations between lifetime use of volatile substances, nitrous oxide and alkyl nitrates with self-reported symptoms of probable depression, anxiety, conduct disorder and auditory hallucinations.

Of the 6672 adolescents in the study, 5.1% reported use of nitrous oxide, 4.9% volatile solvents and 0.1% alkyl nitrates. After accounting for multiple testing, adolescents who had used volatile solvents were significantly more likely to report probable depressive (odds ratio = 4.59, 95% CI 3.58, 5.88), anxiety (odds ratio = 3.47, 95% CI 2.72, 4.43) or conduct disorder (odds ratio = 7.52, 95% CI 5.80, 9.76) and auditory hallucinations (odds ratio = 5.35, 95% CI 4.00, 7.17) than those who had not. Nitrous oxide use was significantly associated with probable depression and conduct disorder but not anxiety disorder or auditory hallucinations. Alkyl nitrate use was rare and not associated with mental health outcomes. Adjustment for use of other inhalants, tobacco and alcohol resulted in marked attenuation but socioeconomic disadvantage had little effect.

To our knowledge, this study provides the first general population evidence that volatile solvents and nitrous oxide are associated with probable mental health disorders in adolescence. These findings require replication, ideally with prospective designs.

“吸入剂”与青春期心理健康状况不佳有关，但与特定类型的吸入剂的关联知之甚少。

我们旨在调查使用挥发性物质、一氧化二氮和硝酸烷酯与青春期心理健康问题的关系。

我们使用 2019 年 9 月至 2020 年 3 月期间收集的英格兰和威尔士 13 至 14 岁青少年的数据进行了横断面分析。多水平 logistic 回归检查了终生使用挥发性物质、一氧化二氮和硝酸烷基酯与自我报告的可能抑郁、焦虑、品行障碍和幻听症状之间的关联。

在研究的 6672 名青少年中，5.1% 报告使用一氧化二氮、4.9% 的挥发性溶剂和 0.1% 的硝酸烷酯。在考虑多次测试后，使用挥发性溶剂的青少年比未使用挥发性溶剂的青少年报告可能的抑郁 （比值比 = 4.59， 95% CI 3.58， 5.88）、焦虑 （比值比 = 3.47， 95% CI 2.72， 4.43） 或品行障碍 （比值比 = 7.52， 95% CI 5.80， 9.76） 和幻听 （比值比 = 5.35， 95% CI 4.00， 7.17） 的可能性更高。一氧化二氮的使用与可能的抑郁症和品行障碍显著相关，但与焦虑症或幻听无关。硝酸烷基酯的使用很少见，与心理健康结果无关。调整其他吸入剂、烟草和酒精的使用导致显着减弱，但社会经济劣势影响不大。

据我们所知，这项研究提供了第一个一般人群证据，表明挥发性溶剂和一氧化二氮与青春期可能的心理健康障碍有关。这些发现需要复制，最好是前瞻性设计。