Oral fluid as a diagnostic tool

Author(s):  
Robin E. Choo ◽  
Marilyn A. Huestis

AbstractTechnological advances over the past decades have enabled oral fluid to expand its usefulness in the diagnosis of disease, prediction of disease progression, monitoring of therapeutic drug levels and detection of illicit drugs. The easy non-invasive nature of collection and the relationship between oral fluid and plasma levels make oral fluid a valuable clinical tool. This review describes advances over the past 5 years in the area of oral fluid as a diagnostic tool, its use in therapeutic and illicit drug monitoring, including proposed guidelines for cut-off values, and methods of collection.

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A300-A301
Author(s):  
Rebecca Robbins ◽  
Ralph J DiClimente ◽  
Matthew Weaver ◽  
Catherine Di Gangi ◽  
Isabel Chalem ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Sleep disturbance is associated with poor mental health and may contribute to initiating or continuing use/abuse of alcohol and drugs. Using data from a nationwide survey, we examined the relationship between sleep disturbance and suicide behaviors among youth and adults, including those who report drug/alcohol use and abuse. Methods We analyzed data from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an annual survey collecting information about the use of illicit drugs and alcohol among non-institutionalized U.S. youth (age 12–17) and adults (age>17). The 2018 survey included 9,398 youth and 43,026 adult respondents. Depression was assessed in adults with the Kessler-6 and in youth with several questions assessing psychological distress. Those who scored at risk for psychological distress were also asked about sleep disturbance and suicidal behaviors (i.e., ideation, planning, attempt). All were asked to report their drug/alcohol use and/or abuse. Our study population included those who reported psychological distress. We conducted binary logistic regression to examine the relationship between suicidal behavior and sleep disturbance in this population. We also conducted sub-analyses to explore the relationship between suicidal behavior and sleep disturbance among those reporting drug/alcohol use and abuse. Results Youth were 29% male and 71% female, adults were 36% male and 64% female. Adult participants, 39% were 18 to 25, 22% were 26 to 34, and 39% were age 35 and older. Among those with psychological distress, suicidal behavior was more likely among those who reported sleep disturbance (youth: OR=2.7, 95%CI:1.8–4.0; adults: OR=1.3, 95%CI:1.2–1.5). Also, among those with psychological distress, suicidal behavior was more likely among those who reported concomitant sleep disturbance and either alcohol abuse/alcoholism (youth: OR:3.3, 95%CI:1.6–7.0; adults: OR=1.4, 95%CI:1.1–1.7); illicit drug abuse (youth: OR=3.5, 95%CI:1.6–7.4; adults: OR=1.3, 95%CI:1.0–1.6); or alcohol and illicit drug abuse (youth: OR=3.2, 95%CI:1.5–6.9; adults: OR=1.4, 95%CI:1.1–1.7). Conclusion Youth and adults with psychological distress and sleep disturbance are more likely to also report suicidal behaviors. Alcohol and drug use or abuse increase their risk for suicidal behavior compared to those who do not report sleep disturbance. Future work should include examination of causality and of interventions. Support (if any) NIH K24-HL105664, P01-AG009975, T32-HL007901, K01HL150339, 1R56HL151637


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1227-1237 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARPANA AGRAWAL ◽  
MICHAEL C. NEALE ◽  
CAROL A. PRESCOTT ◽  
KENNETH S. KENDLER

Introduction. Cannabis use is strongly associated with the use and abuse/dependence of other illicit drugs. Gateway and common liabilities models have been employed to explain this relationship. We sought to examine this association using a combination of the discordant twin design and modeling methods.Method. We assess the relationship between early cannabis use and the subsequent use and abuse/dependence of other illicit drugs in a population-based sample of male and female twin pairs using four analyses: (i) analysis of the association between early cannabis use and other illicit drug use and abuse/dependence in the entire sample of twins, (ii) assessment of the influence of early cannabis use in twin 1 on twin 2's use or abuse/dependence of other illicit drugs, (iii) use of twin pairs discordant for early cannabis use in a discordant twin design and (iv) a model-fitting procedure.Results. We found: (i) a strong association between early cannabis use and use and abuse/dependence of other illicit drugs in the sample, (ii) twin 1's early cannabis use is significantly associated with the twin 2's other illicit drug use, (iii) the role of correlated genetic factors with some evidence for a causal influence, and (iv) the correlated liabilities model fits the data well.Conclusions. Early cannabis use is strongly associated with other illicit drug use and abuse/dependence. The relationship arises largely due to correlated genetic and environmental influences with persisting evidence for some causal influences.


2021 ◽  
pp. 140349482110439
Author(s):  
Hallvard Gjerde ◽  
Anne Line Bretteville-Jensen ◽  
Lihn Bache-Andreassen ◽  
Kristin Hanoa ◽  
Håvard Furuhaugen ◽  
...  

Background People who inject drugs (PWID) have a high risk of premature death due to fatal overdoses. Newly emerged fentanyls, much more potent than heroin and other opioids, may increase this risk further. Therefore, precise information on injected drugs is critical to improving prevention strategies. Aims This study aimed to analyse drug residues in used injection equipment in order to determine drug and drug combinations and compare and complement findings with self-reported information. Methods Used syringes and needles ( n=766) were collected at the supervised drug consumption facilities, the needle exchange service and two low-threshold health services for problem drug users in Oslo, Norway. The material was collected every third month from June 2019 to June 2020 and analysed for 64 substances using highly specific analytical methods (ultra–high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry). Additionally, a street-recruited sample of PWID was interviewed from 2017 to 2019 regarding their drug injection habits ( n=572). Results Heroin (65.5%) or amphetamines (59.8%), often in combination (30.5%), were commonly detected in drug residues. Other opioids, stimulants or benzodiazepines were rarely detected (6.1%). Fentanyl was detected in only one syringe. Heroin was the most reported drug (77.6% during the past four weeks, 48.3% daily/almost daily), followed by amphetamines (57.5% during the past four weeks, 23.1% daily or almost daily). Injection of methadone, buprenorphine and dissolved tablets was self-reported more frequently than determined in drug residue findings. Conclusions Analysis of the injection equipment proved useful as a non-invasive, rapid and accurate means to obtain detailed information on injected drugs in Oslo and supplement traditional PWID survey information.


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Berridge ◽  
Shawna Bourne

The present report outlines a presentation by Professor Virginia Berridge at the Second Stanier Lecture held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on November 5, 2002. The relationship among public health concepts, illicit drug use prevention and policy, and infection control strategies in England and other locations is paralleled over the course of two centuries. This historical journey analyzes changes in public health and demonstrates how history and public health have intersected at various times to result in the public health approaches used today.


Author(s):  
Kristin Feltmann ◽  
Tobias H. Elgán ◽  
Anna K. Strandberg ◽  
Pia Kvillemo ◽  
Nitya Jayaram-Lindström ◽  
...  

Illicit drug use is prevalent in the nightlife scene, especially at electronic dance music (EDM) events. The aim of the present study was to investigate illicit drug use patterns and consequences of drug use among frequent visitors of EDM events. Young adults (18–34 years old) who had visited at least six EDM events in Sweden during the past year participated in a web-based survey on drug use patterns and its consequences. Fifty-nine percent of participants had used illicit drugs during the past year, most often cannabis followed by ecstasy, cocaine, and amphetamine. Nightlife venues were identified as the main setting for the use of central stimulants, while cannabis was mostly used at home. Frequent alcohol and tobacco use was associated with illicit drug use. The most prevalent negative consequences of drug use were related to mental health, such as impairments in mood, sleep, and memory problems, but physical manifestations were also reported, such as palpitations and collapsing. These findings confirm that drug use is prevalent and associated with negative health effects among EDM nightlife attendees. The nightlife scene is a setting with promising potential to reach a high-risk target group with illicit drug use prevention interventions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Buvik ◽  
Elin K. Bye ◽  
Johanna Gripenberg

Aims: There is increased concern about the use of alcohol and illicit drugs in nightlife settings. Most studies of substance use in nightlife settings are from the patrons’ perspective, which leaves an understudied population – the nightclub staff. The aim of this paper is to study self-reported alcohol and substance use among staff at licensed premises in Norway: types of illicit drugs used, attitudes towards drugs, and observed drug use among patrons. Methods: A survey was conducted at server-training courses in 20 different cities in Norway during 2015. The survey included: demographics, respondents’ own alcohol and drug experience, attitudes towards drug use, and observed drug use among patrons at licensed premises. Results: Data were collected from 912 staff working at licensed premises. A majority reported alcohol use in the past year, and 61% reported alcohol use two or more times a month. Overall, 45% of the respondents reported ever-used of illicit drugs. The four most commonly used drugs among staff were cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy/MDMA, and amphetamine. The majority of respondents supported Norway’s strict drug laws, and 63% reported observing drug-intoxicated patrons at licensed premises during the past six months. Conclusions: The proportion of frequent drinkers and heavy episodic drinking among staff at licensed premises was high, and the prevalence of illicit drug use was much higher compared with the general population. Thus, staff at licensed premises can be considered a risk-group for alcohol and illicit drug use and therefore represent an important target population in club drug-prevention programmes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (13) ◽  
pp. 1238-1246
Author(s):  
Mohammad Rifat Haider ◽  
Caroline Kingori ◽  
Monique J Brown ◽  
Michele Battle-Fisher ◽  
Ilana Azulay Chertok

Young people aged 15–24 years account for half of all new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States. The aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations of factors linked to STIs among US young adults (18–25 years). This study used the 2015–2018 pooled National Survey on Drug Use and Health data on 55,690 young adults. Almost 3.4% of the respondents reported having an STI in the past year. Among the participants, 38.4% used illicit drugs and 3.7% reported a history of delinquency in the past year. In the survey-weighted logistic regression model, odds for contracting STIs in the preceding year was higher among adults aged 22–25 versus 18–21 years (OR:1.26, 95%CI:1.12–1.42); male versus female (OR:2.44, 95%CI:2.11–2.82); non-Hispanic African American versus non-Hispanic White (OR:1.77, 95%CI:1.55–2.02); widowed/separated/divorced (OR:1.93, 95%CI:1.36–2.75) and never married (OR:1.29, 95%CI:1.07–1.55) versus married; full-time/part-time employed (aOR:1.17, 95% CI:1.04–1.31) compared to unemployed/other; history of delinquency (OR:2.31, 95%CI:1.89–2.83); and use of illicit drugs in the last year (OR:3.10, 95%CI:2.77–3.47). High incidence of illicit drug use by the young adults and its strong association with STI incidence in recent years warrant special attention. Tailored preventive measures should be focused on key predictors.


Author(s):  
Emily Lowthian

AbstractParental substance use, that is alcohol and illicit drugs, can have a deleterious impact on child health and wellbeing. An area that can be affected by parental substance use is the educational outcomes of children. Current reviews of the literature in the field of parental substance use and children's educational outcomes have only identified a small number of studies, and most focus on children's educational attainment. To grasp the available literature, the method from Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was used to identify literature. Studies were included if they were empirical, after 1950, and focused on children’s school or educational outcomes. From this, 51 empirical studies were identified which examined the relationship between parental alcohol and illicit drug use on children’s educational outcomes. Five main themes emerged which included attainment, behavior and adjustment, attendance, school enjoyment and satisfaction, academic self-concept, along with other miscellaneous outcomes. This paper highlights the main findings of the studies, the gaps in the current literature, and the challenges presented. Recommendations are made for further research and interventions in the areas of parental substance use and child educational outcomes specifically, but also for broader areas of adversity and child wellbeing.


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