Effect of opium consumption on cardiovascular diseases - a cross- sectional study based on data of Rafsanjan cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There are differences of opinion about the beneficial or detrimental effects of opium consumption on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). So, we aimed to study the association between opium use and CVDs. METHODS: We used data obtained from the Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS), as a part of the prospective epidemiological research studies in IrAN (PERSIAN), with detailed, validated data on opium consumption and some other exposures. A total of 10,000 adults were enrolled in the study. Logistic regression models were used to assess the possible relationships of opium consumption with the prevalence of ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS: In this study, 9990 participants in the baseline phase of the Rafsanjan adult cohort study were included according to their completed questionnaire. Among all participants, 870 and 296 individuals were found to suffer from IHD and MI, respectively. Opium consumption was found to be relatively high in the RCS participants, especially in men (men = 2150 and women = 228). Opium use was associated with a higher odds of IHD and MI, with the adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) of 1.51 (1.22-1.86) and 1.79 (1.31-2.45), respectively. Also, dose-response increases were observed with the highest odds ratios in the 4th quartile for MI and IHD (p-values for trend < 0.001). Increased odds were observed for the two main methods of opium consumption, i.e. oral and smoking, but oral administration had higher odds ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Opium consumption is associated with the increased odds of both IHD and MI diseases.

The prevalence of denture stomatitis in cigarette and hookah smokers and opium addicts: findings from Rafsanjan Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of denture stomatitis prevalence with cigarette, hookah and opium consumption and also dose-response relationship between the cigarette smoking duration and odds of denture stomatitis in population of Rafsanjan cohort center. METHODS: This cross-sectional study based on data of Rafsanjan Cohort Study (RCS) with 10,000 participants. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1619 participants were included in the analysis. Data were collected by oral examination and completion of pre-designed questionnaires to assess denture hygiene, smoking behavior, opium use and some other exposure variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to investigate possible association of cigarette, hookah and opium consumption and denture stomatitis. RESULTS: Prevalence of denture stomatitis among all 1619 denture wearers was 21.6%. Cigarette smoking was associated with a higher odds of denture stomatitis, with the adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of 2.29 (1.53-3.41). Also, dose-response increases were observed with the highest odds ratio in the 4th quartile for denture stomatitis (p-value < 0.001). Opium consumption was associated with a decreased odds of denture stomatitis (adjusted OR; 0.81, 95% CI 0.58-1.13) which was not statistically significant. Also interaction between opium consumption and cigarette smoking was not associated with higher odds of denture stomatitis (adjusted OR: 1.65, 95% CI 0.85-3.22). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of the present study, while cigarette smoking had a dose-response relationship with the increased odds of denture stomatitis; this association was not found with opium consumption.

Disrupted resting-state functional connectivity of frontal network in opium use disorder.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) as a chronic relapsing disorder is initially driven by dysfunction of brain reward networks and associated with several psychiatric disorders. Resting-state EEG was recorded in 24 healthy participants as well as 31 patients with OUD. Healthy participants do not meet OUD criteria. After pre-processing of the raw EEG, functional connectivity in the frontal network using eLORETA and all networks using graph analysis method were calculated. Patients with OUD had higher electrical neuronal activity compared to healthy participants in higher frequency bands. The statistical analysis revealed that patients with OUD had significantly decreased phase synchronization in ß1 and ß2 frequency bands compared with the healthy group in the frontal network. Regarding global network topology, we found a significant decrease in the characteristic path length and an increase in global efficiency, clustering coefficient, and transitivity in patients compared with the healthy group. These changes indicated that local specialization and global integration of the brain were disrupted in OUD and it suggests a tendency toward random network configuration of functional brain networks in patients with OUD. Disturbances in EEG-based brain network indices might reflect an altered cortical functional network in OUD. These findings might provide useful biomarkers to understand cortical brain pathology in opium use disorder.

Smoking Water-Pipe, Opium Use and Prevalence of Heart Disease: A Cross-sectional Analysis of Baseline Data from the Pars Cohort Study, Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Associations between hookah and opium use and an increased risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) have been suggested in a few studies, but more research is needed on the nature of these associations. We aimed to investigate the association between hookah and opium use and the prevalence of IHD in a population with relatively high prevalence of these exposures in Iran. METHODS: Using baseline data from the Pars Cohort Study (PCS), a prospective study of individuals aged 40-75 years in Fars province, southern Iran, we calculated adjusted and crude odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the independent association of hookah and opium use with prevalence of IHD. RESULTS: Of 9248 participants, 10.2% (95% CI: 9.5, 10.9) had self-reported IHD. Prevalence of ever use of hookah and opium was 48.9% (95% CI: 44.6, 53.6) and 10.2% (95% CI: 8.3, 12.5) among those with IHD, and 37.0% (95% CI: 35.7, 38.3) and 8.1% (95% CI: 7.5, 8.7) among those without IHD, respectively. Adjusted OR for the association with prevalence of IHD was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.46) for hookah use and 1.71 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.24) for opium abuse. No dose-response association was found between hookah and prevalence of IHD. CONCLUSION: Hookah and opium abuse were associated with prevalent IHD in this study. Although more research is needed on these associations, particularly in prospective settings, reducing hookah and opium use could potentially reduce IHD risk.

The Prevalence and 5-Year Incidence Rate of Low Physical Activity in an Urban Population of 10,000 in Southeastern Iran: Relationship With Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: Because of high prevalence of coronary artery diseases (CADs) in Iran and their relationship with low physical activity (LPA), this study aimed to measure the epidemic size of LPA, its incidence rate, and its relationship with other CAD risk factors in Kerman, Iran. METHODS: About 10,000 adults were randomly recruited through single-stage cluster sampling. Demographic characteristics, biochemical variables, smoking, opium use, mental status, and physical activities were assessed. The relationship between LPA and 7 other CAD risk factors was measured. Five-year incidence rate of LPA was calculated according to the data from the physically active participants in the first phase of the study (n = 3416) who attended the second phase after 5 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of low, moderate, and intense physical activity was 47.2%, 34.8%, and 18.0%, respectively. LPA rose from 45.1% to 62.2% after the age of 25 years. Women had higher LPA than men. Participants with LPA had significantly higher chance of cigarette smoking, diabetes, overweight/obesity, hypertension, and opium addiction. Five-year incidence rate of LPA was 5.1 persons/100 person-years among physically active population. CONCLUSION: Almost half of the studied population suffering from LPA was at risk of CAD. Such risky lifestyle pattern while worsened in the last 5 years makes the emerging of CAD epidemic unavoidable, if appropriate timely interventions not being in place accordingly.

The prevalence and associated factors of cigarette smoking and its association with opium use among outpatients in Afghanistan: A cross-sectional study in Andkhoy city.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of cigarette smoking and the association between cigarette smoking and opium use among patients visiting an outpatient clinic in Afghanistan. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on consecutive patients aged 18 years and older from January 2018 to April 2018. Data on patients' sociodemographic characteristics and clinical variables were collected using an interview-based survey. RESULTS: Six hundred and twenty-two patients (391males vs. 231 females) were interviewed for this study. The overall prevalence of current smoking was 50.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 46.2-54.2). Males were (odds ratio [OR] = 9.5; 95% CI: 5.3-17.1) more likely to smoke cigarettes than females. The odds of current cigarette smoking increased with having a family member smoker or a friend smoker (OR =3.3; 95% CI: 2.0-5.3). Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with the level of education (illiterate OR = 8.9; 95% CI: 4.0-19.8), primary/private education (OR = 7.8; 95% CI: 3.9-15.6), and secondary education (OR = 4.4; 95% CI: 2.3-8.4), with high school or higher education as the reference group. Rural residents were 3.7 times (95% CI: 2.3-6.2) more likely to smoke cigarette than urban residents. Opium users were 23.0 times (95% CI: 12.5-42.3) more likely to smoke cigarettes than non-opium users. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among patients visiting an outpatient clinic in Afghanistan was high, and there was an association between cigarette smoking and male gender, a family history of smoking or a friend history of smoking, level of education, rural residency, and opium consumption.