Health status outcome among cannabis addicts after treatment of addiction.

The abuse of Cannabis is a widespread issue in the Asir region. It has a lot of legal and occupational repercussions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health status of cannabis addicts at admission and after treatment using body mass index, glycemic status, liver function, renal function, and oxidative stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 120 participants. The study was conducted at Al Amal Hospital for Mental Health in Asir region of Saudi Arabia, with 100 hospitalized patients receiving addiction treatment and 20 healthy volunteers. The participants were divided into two groups: group I, the control group, and group II, the cannabis addicts. The socio-demographic data were gathered. The level of cannabis in the urine and the CWAS [Cannabis Withdrawal Assessment Scale] were determined. In addition, the Body Mass Index [BMI], vital signs [temperature, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate], serum levels of albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP, urea, creatinine, Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS], superoxide dismutase [SOD], reduced glutathione [GSH], and catalase [CAT] were analyzed on the first day of admission and after treatment. According to the results, there was no significant change in the body mass index. The vital signs in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values. Regarding renal function tests such as urea and creatinine, we found that after treatment, the mean urea and creatinine values in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values. However, after treatment, the mean values of fasting blood glucose levels in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than at admission. Also, the mean values of liver function tests such as albumin, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, AST, ALT, and ALP in the cannabis user group were significantly lower than the corresponding admission values after treatment. In assessing the antioxidant system, we found that the mean values of TBARS, SOD, GSH, and CAT in the cannabis user group did not differ significantly from the corresponding admission values after treatment. The current findings have revealed that cannabis addiction harms the various body systems and has significant implications for the addict's state of health. The values of oxidative stress biomarkers did not change in this study, but other measured parameters improved after treatment.

Evaluation of the health status outcome among inpatients treated for Amphetamine Addiction.

Amphetamine is one of the most abuser drugs in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to evaluate health status outcome at baseline and after detoxification in amphetamine users through the evaluation of the body mass index, renal function tests, cardiac biomarkers, gonadal hormonal levels, and oxidative stress markers. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 participants. Sixty participants were hospitalized patients for treatment of addiction and 30 participants were healthy volunteers. This study was performed at a psychiatric and rehabilitation center, in Qassim region, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Participants were divided into: group I = control; group II = amphetamine users and group III = amphetamine plus cannabis users. Socio-demographic data was collected. The urinary amphetamine level, Severity Dependence Scale (SDS), body mass index (BMI), vital signs; serum levels of troponin T (TnT), immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), luteinizing Hormone (LH), testosterone Hormone (TSTS), urea, creatinine, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) were measured on admission and after detoxification. The results showed that the BMI was significantly decreased while, vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate were significantly increased in all abusers and returned to normal values after the detoxification period. The cardiac biomarker troponin T was significantly increased and reversed after detoxification. The immune system was evaluated through assessing serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG. The immune system remained immunocompromised in drug users, and IgM and IgG levels did not reach the level of control group after treatment. Luteinizing and testosterone hormones were evaluated. Both hormones were increased on admission and improved after the detoxification period. Renal function showed no significant differences between drug users and the control group. In the evaluation of the antioxidant system, there was a significant increase in serum MDA, SOD, GPx, and CAT levels compared to healthy controls. After the detoxification phase, these oxidative stress biomarkers still remained elevated. The current results have shown the addiction of amphetamine and cannabis exert detrimental effects on different body organs and the exert major consequences on the health status of drug users. The present study showed that, there was no improvement in the levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, although an improvement was observed in the other parameters after the detoxification phase.

Effect of inhaled anesthetic gases on immune status alterations in health care workers.

The objective of this research was to evaluate consequences to the immune system of long-term exposure to waste anesthetic gases (WAG) by medical theater personnel. Two groups were recruited: (i) 60 healthy male controls; (ii) 120 medical professionals exposed to WAG, subdivided according to theater role, i.e. surgeons, surgical assistants (SA), anesthetists, anesthetic assistants (AA), nurses, and workers. Serum levels of fluoride, hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP), total lymphocyte counts, as well as of CD3, CD4, and CD8 cells, CD4/CD8 ratios, and immunoglobulins IgA, IgG, IgM, and IgE were assayed. The results showed that fluoride and HFIP titers were significantly increased in anesthetists and AA compared with the other exposed groups. All exposed groups demonstrated significant elevation in lymphocyte count, CD4+ cell levels, CD4/CD8 ratios, as well as levels of IgE, IgM and IgG compared with the controls. With regard to the latter outcomes, a significant increase in IgE was seen in the surgeon, nurse, and worker groups compared with the other professions. Surgeons, anesthetists and AA exhibited higher IgM titers compared with their colleagues. Significantly higher IgG levels were identified in the SA, anesthetists, AA, and workers than in their nurses and surgeon coworkers. Of the six sub-groups, only the anesthetists and their assistants (AA) displayed a significant increase in CD4+ cells and CD4/CD8 ratios and a decrease of CD8+ cells compared with the controls. This spectrum of results suggests that variation exists in immunomodulatory responses to WAG exposure amongst hospital personnel.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles and a standard antidiabetic drug restore the function and structure of beta cells in Type-2 diabetes.

The aim of this study was to use Zinc oxide nanoparticles and a standard antidiabetic drug to restore the function and structure of beta cells in a rat model of Type-2 diabetes and compare the effects of a DPP-IV inhibitor with or without zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using a model of type 2 diabetes (rats fed a high fat diet that was treated with a low dose of streptozotocin). Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups 10days after the induction of diabetes: group I: non-diabetic animals that received only the chow diet plus 2ml of 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium; group II: diabetic animals that received only the chow diet plus 2ml of 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose sodium; group III: diabetic animals were subdivided into 7 equal subgroups; one subgroup was administered Vildagliptin (10mg/kg/day p.o.); three subgroups were administered ZnONPs at doses of 1, 3 and 10mg/kg/day p.o.; and three subgroups were administered ZnONPs in different doses plus Vildagliptin for seven weeks. The DPP-IV inhibitor (Vildagliptin) and ZnONPs alone or in combination significantly decreased microRNA-103 and microRNA-143 expression compared to the diabetic group, indicating antidiabetic effects. ZnONPs improved many of the indices of diabetic dysfunction (glucose tolerance, weight loss, insulin levels, fructosamine levels, pancreatic SOD activity, and pancreas histology), but the addition of the DPP-IV further improved these indices. ZnONPs alone resulted in significant antidiabetic effects, whereas the addition of Vildagliptin resulted in a synergistic effect on the therapy of diabetes.

Pattern of craniofacial injuries in patients admitted to Tanta University Hospital--Egypt.

The goal of this work was to determine the craniofacial injury patterns in hospitalized patients to facilitate the awareness, by identifying, describing and quantifying trauma for use in planning and evaluation of preventive programs. Two-hundred and fifty five patients with craniofacial injuries were registered at the department of neurosurgery in Tanta University Hospital. Data were collected including age, gender, medical history, cause of injury and type of injury, location and frequency of soft tissue injuries, skull fractures, facial bone fractures, brain injuries and concomitant injuries, patient symptoms, clinical signs and the radiological findings. The most common causes of craniofacial injuries were road traffic accidents, followed by activity of daily life and assaults. Gender distribution showed that, males were at higher risk than females with a ratio of 5.5/1. In total of skull fractures, 47.84% were fissure fracture and 24.31% were depressed fractures. In total of brain injuries, 7.06% for concussion, 4.71% for contusion, 10.98% for brain laceration, 14.12% for pneumocephalus and 36.47% for brain edema. Regression analysis revealed increased risk for skull fractures and brain injuries in traffic accidents were 84.78%, 94.20%, respectively, and 59.14%, 50.54% in activity of daily life, but the probability of soft tissue injuries increase in traffic accident and violence.