Teens as young as 13 referred for ketamine-linked bladder problems at UK clinic

 Non-prescribed ketamine use may start at age 13, data from a UK clinic dedicated to treating bladder problems associated with misuse of the drug suggest. The findings were published in a clinical letter in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Clinic attendees were also more likely to live in the most deprived neighborhoods and have experience of the care system.

The KIU (ketamine induced uropathy) clinic at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, was set up in May 2025 amid a rapid rise in referrals among under-16s for KIU—a progressive urinary tract condition associated with sustained use of the drug.

Symptoms include pain and burning when using the toilet (dysuria), urinary frequency/urgency and incontinence.

Analysis of the profiles of the first 60 patients referred to the clinic showed that their average age was 14, with ages ranging from 13–15, and that, for some patients, non-prescribed ketamine use had started when they were 13.

Around two-thirds (43) of the referrals were girls, and a similar number lived in the most deprived neighborhoods (IMD quintile 1). Sixteen of those referred had autism or ADHD, or both.

Nearly three-quarters (72%) had experienced some form of emotional trauma during childhood, and one in five had experience of the care system.

On average, the teens had been using ketamine for 1–2 years before referral and frequently reported concomitant use of other drugs (50%), alcohol (27%) and vapes (48%).

"These findings need to be considered when co-designing services for under-16s who use non-prescribed ketamine to ensure access improves inequalities and care is delivered in a trauma-informed and accessible way," the authors write.

Heavy ketamine use is not confined to Liverpool and surrounding areas, they point out. "Non-prescribed ketamine use and associated adverse effects are rising in the UK, including among under-18s, with 8.4% in treatment now reporting ketamine use."

Publication details

Who are the children and young people attending the UK's first ketamine- induced uropathy clinic for under 16s?: an early insight into sociodemographic features, Archives of Disease in Childhood (2026). DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2026-330727

Journal information: Archives of Disease in Childhood 

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