Risk factors of suicidal ideation and attempt in women with drug user spouses.

BACKGROUND: Despite ample evidence of the presence of mental and psychological disorders observed in the family members of drug users, few studies have attempted to focus on suicidal behavior in women whose spouses are drug users. METHODS: This cross-sectional study focused on 131 women who had a drug user spouse. They had all been married for >2 years, with no mental or psychological disorders and no history of drug use prior to marriage. Drug use history after marriage, the extent and nature of physical and non-physical wife abuse, and any history of suicidal ideation and attempt in the past year were collected, in addition to data about anxiety and depression. RESULTS: Our study showed that women who identified with a history of suicidal ideation and attempt were younger, had a shorter marital duration, had a more extensive history of drug use, were more likely to be abused by their spouse, and had higher anxiety and depression scores than their counterparts. Suicidal ideation predictors included a personal history of drug use [odds ratio (OR) = 9.217, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.727-49.180, p = 0.009] and anxiety and depression (OR = 1.080, 95% CI = 1.022-1.141, p = 0.004), whereas suicidal attempt predictors included a personal history of drug use (OR = 7.236, 95% CI = 1.671-31.326, p = 0.010), exposure to physical abuse by spouse (OR = 4.005, 95% CI = 1.393-11.523, p = 0.008), and anxiety and depression (OR = 1.092, 95% CI = 1.015-1.175, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study showed that a personal history of drug use, an elevated anxiety score, and depression and exposure to physical abuse by their spouse may act as predictors of suicidal ideation or attempt in women with a drug user spouse. These findings may serve to benefit and support healthcare systems, associated with ongoing efforts to develop preventive programs for suicidal behavior in this population.

The effect of opium dependency on testis volume: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: 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. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of testis volume between opium dependents and healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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±2.7cm³, 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). CONCLUSION: 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.

Socioeconomic links to health-related quality of life, anxiety, and depression in kidney transplant recipients.

INTRODUCTION: 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. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 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). RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.

Olfactory function following open rhinoplasty: A 6-month follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing any type of nasal surgery may experience degrees of postoperative olfactory dysfunction. We sought to investigate "when" the olfactory function recovers to its preoperative levels. METHODS: In this cohort design, 40 of 65 esthetic open rhinoplasty candidates with equal gender distribution, who met the inclusion criteria, were assessed for their olfactory function using the Smell Identification Test (SIT) with 40 familiar odors in sniffing bottles. All the patients were evaluated for the SIT scores preoperatively and postoperatively (at week 1, week 6, and month 6). RESULTS: At postoperative week one, 87.5% of the patients had anosmia, and the rest exhibited at least moderate levels of hyposmia. The anosmia, which was the dominant pattern at postoperative week 1, resolved and converted to various levels of hyposmia, so that no one at postoperative week 6 showed any such complain. At postoperative week six, 85% of the subjects experienced degrees of hyposmia, almost all being mild to moderate. At postoperative six month, the olfactory function had already reverted to the preoperative levels: no anosmia or moderate to severe hyposmia. A repeated ANOVA was indicative of significant differences in the olfactory function at the different time points. According to our post hoc Benfronney, the preoperative scores had a significant difference with those at postoperative week 1, week 6, but not with the ones at month 6. CONCLUSION: Esthetic open rhinoplasty may be accompanied by some degrees of postoperative olfactory dysfunction. Patients need a time interval of 6 weeks to 6 months to fully recover their baseline olfactory function.