ABSTRACT
30 patients with criminal and violent behavior from different Egyptian jails and 20 normal age and sex matched persons were selected to serve as control group. Hair and serum lithium levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer for criminal and control persons. A statistically significant low serum and hair lithium levels were found in the criminals compared to the normal persons, whether the criminal behavior was associated with or without motivations for the crime. This finding may be of important social and therapeutic impact, lithium should be tried to control aggressive and criminal behaviors, especially in professional and chronically aggressive persons
Subject(s)
Lithium/analysis , Violence/diagnosisABSTRACT
In this study, fifteen cirrhotics, thirteen cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy and ten normal control persons were subjected to clinical examinations, abdominal sonography, blood biochemistry examination and blood lead determination. Both cirrhotics and cirrhotics with encephalopathy showed symptoms. Physical signs and blood biochemistry changes pertinent with liver cirrhotics, Blood lead concentrations were significantly [p<0.05] higher in cirrhotics and cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy than in control persons. We suggest that altered permeability of the blood brain barrier may allow passage of lead into brain tissues contributing to the observed symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy. Chronic liver disease may alter toxicokinetics of lead leading to impaired elimination. Elevated blood lead concentrations would favour the progress of infective liver disease through its immunosupressive effect
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Lead/blood , Lead/toxicity , Risk Factors , Hepatic Encephalopathy , Spectrophotometry, Atomic , Liver Function Tests , Sodium , Potassium , Kidney Function Tests , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
In this study, fifteen cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy and ten normal control persons were subjected to clinical examinations, abdominal sonography, blood biochemistry examination and blood lead determination. Both cirrhotics and cirrhotics with encephalopathy showed symptoms, physical signs and blood biochemistry changes pertinent with liver cirrhosis. Blood lead concentrations were significantly [P <0.05] higher in cirrhotics and cirrhotics with hepatic encephalopathy than in control persons. It was suggested that altered permeability of the blood-brain barrier may allow passage of lead into brain tissues contributing to the observed symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy. Chronic liver disease may alter toxicokinetics of lead leading to impaired elimination. Elevated blood lead concentrations would favor the progress of infective liver disease through its immunosupressive effect