effect of opium on polysomnographic findings in patients with sleep apnea

Many reports are available about the increasing rate of mortality due to overuse of opioids. It has been suggested that sleep apnea can be a cause of mortality because of overuse of opioids. Opium use is common in Iran. This study aimed to assess the effect of opium on polysomnographic findings in opium addicts with sleep apnea syndrome. In this prospective case-control study, 50 opium addicts with sleep apnea were compared and matched for age, sex and body mass index with 50 non-addict patients with sleep apnea to determine the effect of opium on sleep disorders and polysomnographic findings. Sleep stages, apneas, hypopneas and desaturation were evaluated and recorded for participants in both groups. Data were analyzed and compared using SPSS version 15 software. There were significant differences between the two groups in sleep efficiency [P-value=0.00], apnea/hypopnea index [0.02], hypopnea [P-value=0.00], desaturation [P-value=0.01], sleep latency to stage 1[P-value=0.00] and central apnea [P-value=0.00] but no difference was detected for obstructive apnea [P-value=0.48]. Opium can increase central apnea, apnea-hypopnea index and desaturation in opium addicts compared with non-addicts

[Epidemiologic study of deaths related to opiate abuse in Khorasan legal medicine center from March 20, 2004 to March 20, 2006]

Addiction to opium is a social, economical, political, and cultural problem, and behavioral aspects can be an extreme financial burden for society. In this study, we evaluated all deaths due to opium abuse reported to Khorasan legal medicine center regarding demographic data, the type of drugs, the route of usage, laboratory and autopsy data. In this descriptive cross-sectional study the samples were the cadavers which were referred to Khorasan legal medicine center during 2 years from March 20, 2004 to March 20, 2006. Statistic analyses were performed by SPSS statistic software. Most of the cases were men [93.4%]. The most common age period was 21-30 years [36.3%], most of them were self-employed [24.6%] and with high school education [27%]. Tattooing was significantly common [34.4%] and common fatal route of opiate abuse was IV injection [64.1%] with morphine [32.7%]. The most common pathologic finding was pulmonary congestion [36.5%]. In this 2 year survey, we tried to recognize those factors which are effective in addiction in order to reduce the death because of opium overdose in long terms