Illicit Drug Abuse in Drivers of Motor Vehicle Collisions

Background: Motor vehicle Traffic injuries are indeed one of the most important worldwide health problems. Opioids can induce a depressant effect on the central nervous system which may increase the risk of traffic accidents. This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted in Marvdasht, Iran to investigate the presence of drugs in hospitalized non-fatally injured drivers of motor vehicles.Materials and Methods: The cases were 500 drivers of motor vehicle, injured in the road traffic accident and referred to the emergency ward. The controls were 500 patients hospitalized in the same emergency department due to non-traumatic reasons. They were asked about the abuse of any substance during the 72 hours before their referral to the hospital. Urinary samples of patients with negative history of drug consumption were analyzed.Results: From the drivers, 237 (47.4%) of the case group and 278 (55.6%) of the control group had positive-substance consumption. Opium was the common drug abused in the two groups. An eight fold increased risk of road accident was observed for drivers who had used tramadol (OR= 8.2, 95% CI 4.9-13.7, p<0.001). Two or more illicit drugs (poly drug abuse) were detected in 24% of the cases and 31.8% of the controls (50.6% and 57.2% of drug abusers, respectively). Just for tramadol, the prevalence was higher in cases than controls. Conclusion: The results demonstrate the high proportion of illicit drug abuse among Iranian drivers. More health education and policies are necessary to steadily decrease drug abuse in our society.

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Psychometric properties of DSM assessments of illicit drug abuse and dependence: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC)

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291707000396 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 37 (9) ◽

pp. 1345-1355 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

M. T. LYNSKEY ◽

A. AGRAWAL

Keyword(s):

Drug Abuse ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Illicit Drugs ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Item Difficulty ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Epidemiological Survey ◽

Epidemiologic Survey ◽

Drug Use Disorders ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse

ABSTRACTBackgroundDSM-IV criteria for illicit drug abuse and dependence are largely based on criteria developed for alcohol use disorders and there is a lack of research evidence on the psychometric properties of these symptoms when applied to illicit drugs.MethodThis study utilizes data on abuse/dependence criteria for cannabis, cocaine, stimulants, sedatives, tranquilizers, opiates, hallucinogens and inhalants from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, n=43 093). Analyses included factor analysis to explore the dimensionality of illicit drug abuse and dependence criteria, calculation of item difficulty and discrimination within an item response framework and a descriptive analysis of ‘diagnostic orphans’: individuals meeting criteria for 1–2 dependence symptoms but not abuse. Rates of psychiatric disorders were compared across groups.ResultsResults favor a uni-dimensional construct for abuse/dependence on each of the eight drug classes. Factor loadings, item difficulty and discrimination were remarkably consistent across drug categories. For each drug category, between 29% and 51% of all individuals meeting criteria for at least one symptom did not receive a formal diagnosis of either abuse or dependence and were therefore classified as ‘orphans’. Mean rates of disorder in these individuals suggested that illicit drug use disorders may be more adequately described along a spectrum of severity.ConclusionsWhile there were remarkable similarities across categories of illicit drugs, consideration of item difficulty suggested that some alterations to DSM regarding the relevant severity of specific abuse and dependence criteria may be warranted.

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772 Examining sleep difficulties and suicide ideation among those reporting abuse and dependence on illicit drugs and alcohol

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.769 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A300-A301

Author(s):

Rebecca Robbins ◽

Ralph J DiClimente ◽

Matthew Weaver ◽

Catherine Di Gangi ◽

Isabel Chalem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Drug Abuse ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Sleep Disturbance ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Illicit Drugs ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Drugs And Alcohol ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse ◽

The Relationship

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

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Maternal Substance Abuse and the Later Risk of Fractures in Offspring: L’abus maternel de substances et le risque ultérieur de fractures chez les enfants

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0706743720970826 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 070674372097082

Author(s):

Nathalie Auger ◽

Nancy Low ◽

Aimina Ayoub ◽

Ga Eun Lee ◽

Thuy Mai Luu

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Drug Abuse ◽

Illicit Drugs ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Maternal Substance Abuse ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Traumatic Fracture ◽

Future Child ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse

Objective: To assess the association of maternal illicit drug abuse before or during pregnancy with future fractures in offspring. Methods: We performed a longitudinal cohort study of 792,022 infants born in hospitals of Quebec, Canada, between 2006 and 2016, with 5,457,634 person-years of follow-up. The main exposure was maternal substance abuse before or during pregnancy, including cocaine, opioid, cannabis, and other illicit drugs. The main outcome measure was hospitalization for traumatic fracture in offspring up to 12 years of age. We used adjusted Cox regression models to compute hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of maternal drug abuse with the subsequent risk of fracture in children. Results: The incidence of child fractures was higher for maternal illicit drug abuse than no drug abuse (21.2 vs. 15.4 per 10,000 person-years). Maternal drug abuse before or during pregnancy was associated with 2.35 times the risk of assault-related fractures (95% CI, 1.29 to 4.27) and 2.21 times the risk of transport accident-related fractures (95% CI, 1.34 to 3.66), compared with no drug abuse. Associations were strongest before 6 months of age for assault-related fractures (HR = 2.14; 95% CI, 0.97 to 4.72) and after 6 years for transport-related fractures (HR = 2.86; 95% CI, 1.35 to 6.05). Compared with no drug abuse, associations with assault and transport-related fractures were elevated for all drugs including cocaine, opioids, and cannabis. Conclusions: Maternal illicit drug abuse is associated with future child fractures due to assault and transport accidents.

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Long Term Immunologic Consequences of Illicit Drug Abuse

Alcoholism Drug Abuse & Substance Dependence ◽

10.24966/adsd-9594/100022 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Obinna Nnorom-Dike ◽

Keyword(s):

Drug Abuse ◽

Drug Users ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Viral Infections ◽

Drug Abusers ◽

Immune Responsiveness ◽

Medical Practitioners ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse ◽

Increased Susceptibility

This decreased immune responsiveness in illicit drug abusers is believed to be responsible for the increased susceptibility to viral infections. Therefore, beyond the prevalence of illicit drug use and dependence, medical practitioners and illicit drug users should be aware of the flipsides associated with this disorder, particularly the immunologic downsides.

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Relationship of Hydroxychloroquine and Ophthalmic Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Taiwan

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18158154 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 8154

Author(s):

Hung-Chih Chen ◽

Hung-Yu Lin ◽

Michael Chia-Yen Chou ◽

Yu-Hsun Wang ◽

Pui-Ying Leong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Conditional Logistic Regression ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Group ◽

Research Database ◽

Continuous Variables ◽

Chi Square ◽

Increased Risk

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) via the national health insurance research database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. All patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (n = 47,353) in the NHIRD (2000–2012) were enrolled in the study. The case group consists of participants with diabetic ophthalmic complications; 1:1 matching by age (±1 year old), sex, and diagnosis year of diabetes was used to provide an index date for the control group that corresponded to the case group (n = 5550). Chi-square test for categorical variables and Student’s t-test for continuous variables were used. Conditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of DR. The total number of HCQ user was 99 patients (1.8%) in the case group and 93 patients (1.7%) in the control group. Patients with hypertension (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11–1.31) and hyperlipidemia (aOR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.52–1.79) significantly increased the risk of diabetic ophthalmic complications (p < 0.001). Conversely, the use of HCQ and the presence of rheumatoid diseases did not show any significance in increased risk of DR. HCQ prescription can improve systemic glycemic profile, but it does not decrease the risk of diabetic ophthalmic complications.

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A prospective case control study of the effects of oligohydramnios on fetomaternal outcome in mothers with term pregnancy in a rural medical college

International Journal of Reproduction Contraception Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20184534 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (11) ◽

pp. 4706

Author(s):

Dipak Mandi ◽

Sayantan Sen ◽

Vasundhara Goswami

Keyword(s):

Demographic Data ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Birth Asphyxia ◽

Case Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Group ◽

Perinatal Complications ◽

Medical College ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Nicu Admission

Background: The aim of the current study was to assess the fetomaternal effects of oligohydramnios on term pregnancies in a rural tertiary care setup.Methods: A perspective case control hospital-based trial was conducted at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital for a period of one year. Pregnancies at term (37-42 weeks) were included in the study. 103 patients with sonographically diagnosed oligohydramnios were included in the case group. The control group comprised of 103 mothers at term with normal liquor volume. Demographic data and fetomaternal outcome parameters were assessed and compared.Results: There was increased incidence of fetal and perinatal complications including low birth weight, birth asphyxia and NICU admission. There were more perinatal deaths in the case group compared to the control group. Induction of labour, operative delivery, meconium stained liquor and incidence of preeclampsia were also increased in mothers with low AFI.Conclusions: Oligohydramnios is associated with an increased risk of labour and perinatal complications. Adequate antenatal surveillance and intranatal monitoring coupled with correction of underly-ing factors is the mainstay of management.

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Illicit drug abuse

Clinical Nephrotoxins ◽

10.1007/1-4020-2586-6_20 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 383-402

Author(s):

Cheryl L. Kunis ◽

Harry J. Ward ◽

Gerald B. Appel

Keyword(s):

Drug Abuse ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse

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Neuropathological Alterations in Illicit Drug Abuse

Academic Forensic Pathology ◽

10.23907/2012.035 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 235-241 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andreas Büttner

Keyword(s):

Drug Abuse ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse

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An Australian Twin Study of Cannabis and Other Illicit Drug Use and Misuse, and Other Psychopathology

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1017/thg.2012.41 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 631-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Michael T. Lynskey ◽

Arpana Agrawal ◽

Anjali Henders ◽

Elliot C. Nelson ◽

Pamela A. F. Madden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Large Scale ◽

Illicit Drugs ◽

Illicit Drug ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Drug Use Disorders ◽

Illicit Drug Abuse ◽

Highly Correlated ◽

Adult Twins

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug throughout the developed world and there is consistent evidence of heritable influences on multiple stages of cannabis involvement including initiation of use and abuse/dependence. In this paper, we describe the methodology and preliminary results of a large-scale interview study of 3,824 young adult twins (born 1972–1979) and their siblings. Cannabis use was common with 75.2% of males and 64.7% of females reporting some lifetime use of cannabis while 24.5% of males and 11.8% of females reported meeting criteria for DSM-IV cannabis abuse or dependence. Rates of other drug use disorders and common psychiatric conditions were highly correlated with extent of cannabis involvement and there was consistent evidence of heritable influences across a range of cannabis phenotypes including early (≤15 years) opportunity to use (h2 = 72%), early (≤16 years) onset use (h2 = 80%), using cannabis 11+ times lifetime (h2 = 76%), and DSM abuse/dependence (h2 = 72%). Early age of onset of cannabis use was strongly associated with increased rates of subsequent use of other illicit drugs and with illicit drug abuse/dependence; further analyses indicating that some component of this association may have been mediated by increasing exposure to and opportunity to use other illicit drugs.

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