Characteristics of Spiking in Ghent: a Multicentric Prospective Observational Study..

January 5, 2026 updated by: University Hospital, Ghent

Characteristics of Spiking in Ghent: A Multicentric Prospective Observational Study

This study aims to document the incidence and characteristics of spiking in the Ghent region, both anamnestically and by toxicological analysis.

Spiking will be analyzed by immunoassay testing and high-resolution screening according to the protocol in the laboratory of UZ Gent;

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study aims at objectivating and characterizing the patients with alleged spiking in the city of Ghent.

Every patient who presents at one of the four (out of four) emergency departments of Ghent, with a suspicion of spiking (drink/food/needle-spiking included), will be offered to take part of this study.

The study entails a list of questions for the patient regarding demographics, recent own medication/drug/alcohol use and experienced symptoms; whilst the caregiver (doctor/nurse) completes a questionnaire regarding symptoms at time of presentation.

For a presentation within 48h after event, both blood and urine samples are requested from the patient. When presenting between 48h and 96h after the event, only urine samples are requested.

On this samples, IA and LC-GCMS according to the UNODOC standards ("Guidelines for the Forensic analysis of drugs facilitating sexual assault and other criminal acts") to objectify exogenous products.

On request of the patient, these results can be added to the medical file of the patient.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
107

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Belgium
      • Ghent, Belgium, 9000
        • AZ Maria Middelares
      • Ghent, Belgium, 9000
        • Spoedgevallendienst AZ Jan Palfijn
      • Ghent, Belgium, 9000
        • Spoedgevallendienst AZ St. Lucas
      • Ghent, Belgium, 9000
        • Spoedgevallendienst

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult population (18+, all genders) presenting with alleged spiking to the emergency department

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • >18 years
  • Patient self-reports suspicion of spiking OR there is a suspicion of spiking by physician, police, paramedics or patient's companions
  • willingness to provide urine and/or blood samples (depending on timing after event)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Reporting more than 5 days after spiking
  • Unable to reliably complete the questionnaire (can be after clinical observation/recovery).
  • Not declaring proficiency in the language in which informed consent is offered (Dutch/English).
  • Not agreeing to the informed consent.
  • Do not consent to blood and urine collection and/or analysis.
  • There is a suspicion of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (to be referred to Care Center Sexual Violence, ZSG, where parallel study is ongoing).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
What is the incidence of spiking in adult patients presenting to the emergency departments of the four Ghent hospitals with suspected spiking?
Time Frame: 19 months
Number of patients presenting to the ED with spiking
19 months
What is the type of product and mode of administration used in spiking
Time Frame: 19 months
Defining type of products and mode of administration
19 months
What are patient characteristics of patients with spiking
Time Frame: 19 months
Demographic features of the patients diagnosed with spiking
19 months
In what type of places does spiking occur in Ghent
Time Frame: 19 months
Location of spiking event
19 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University Hospital, Ghent

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 31, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 5, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 4, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 17, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • ONZ-2023-0004

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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