ABSTRACT
Given the paucity of data on possible testis changes in opioid dependents, we sought to compare the testis volumes between a group of opium dependents and a group of healthy controls. Comparison of testis volume between opium dependents and healthy controls. This case-control study recruited 100 men with opium dependency [cases] and 100 healthy men [controls] in Iran, in 2008. A checklist containing questions about age, height, weight, daily amount of cigarette use, and duration of cigarette use for all the participants as well as daily amount of opium use [grams] and duration of opium use [years] for the case group was completed. Additionally, the dimensions of each testis were measured by a single person using calipers, and the mean of the left and right testes volume was compared between these two groups. The mean of the testis volumes in the case group was significantly lower than that of the case group [11.2 +/- 2.2 and 25.1 +/- 2.7cm[3], p<0.001]. The results of the ANCOVA test showed that even after the omission of the cigarette smoking effect [p=0.454], the testis volume remained lower in the opium dependents [R[2]=0.884, p<0.001]. In the case group, there were significant reverse correlations between testis volume and age [r=-0.404, p<0.001], daily amount of opium use [r=-0/207, p=0.039] and duration of opium use [r=-0.421, p<0.001]. We found that the testis volume in the male opium dependents was lower than that of the healthy controls. We would recommend that future studies into the impact of drugs on the testis dimensions pay heed to possible histological changes in the testes owing to opium dependency
ABSTRACT
The impact of socioeconomic status on the chance of being a candidate of kidney transplantation and its effect on graft survival has been documented. Our aim was to investigate the association of socioeconomic status with kidney allograft recipients' health-related quality of life and level of anxiety and depression. Two hundred and forty-two kidney transplant recipients were categorized according to their monthly family income into low-income, moderate-income, and high-income groups. These groups were compared in terms of health-related quality of life [short form-36] and level of anxiety and depression symptoms [hospital anxiety depression scale]. There was a trend of higher HRQOL scores in association with a higher income, which was significant for the total HRQOL score and its subdomains of physical function and role limitation due to physical and emotional problems. A slight increase in anxiety symptom scores was also seen in kidney recipients with lower incomes; however, the depression symptom scores were not significantly different between the income groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that the impact of income on the total HRQL and anxiety symptoms scores remained significant after controlling the effect of age, sex, and time interval from transplantation. A significant proportion of our kidney allograft recipients had a low income and had a poorer health-related quality of life and a greater load of anxiety according to their perception of their status, compared to those with higher incomes. Special consideration to kidney transplant recipients with a lower income may improve their wellbeing