[Epidemiology, medical and social features of the addiction to beer and strong alcogol].

The comparative study of the addiction to beer and hard liquor was carried out. Despite of the dramatic increase in the beer consumption in the Russian Federation between 1999 and 2009, the incidence and prevalence of alcohol dependence and alcohol psychoses had decreased. The analysis of preference in alcohol consumption revealed that 90.7% of study participants consumed different types of alcohol beverages: beer and hard liquor. Alcohol addiction caused by the consumption of beer or spirits and wine alone was 1.2% and 8.1%, respectively. Our study of case histories demonstrated that alcohol addiction related predominantly to the beer use was associated with the consumption of smaller doses of pure ethanol, less pronounced abstinent syndrome, less frequent complications, such as the convulsive syndrome and alcoholic psychosis, compared to the addiction to hard liquor. The examination of 106 outpatients with alcohol addiction revealed that patients who preferred hard liquor during the last month consumed more alcohol in terms of pure ethanol. Also, the period of hard drinking was longer and patients had more social, legal, and psychological problems as well as somatic and psychopathological disorders. The higher was the consumption of hard liquor, the severe was the course of alcohol addiction. The least number of biopsychosocial problems was noted in patients who consumed only beer.

[The questionnaire "alcohol anosognosia" is a new tool for assessment of anosognosia in patients with alcohol dependence].

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a patient-rated questionnaire for the complex express-assessment of alcohol anosognosia. The questionnaire was tested in 106 inpatients diagnosed with alcohol dependence (ICD-10, item F10.2). The age of the study participants (M+/-SD) was 42.1+/-8.8 years, duration of alcohol dependence 11.3+/-7.0 years. The questionnaire consisted of 7 subscales: Not being in the know, Non-recognition of disease symptoms, Non-recognition of disease in whole, Non-recognition of disease consequences, Emotional rejection of disease, Disagreement with treatment, Non-acceptance of temperance. Psychometric characteristics (external-criterion validity, test-retest validity, internal consistency) were studied and the standardization of the questionnaire was performed. Mean empiric values of subscales were determined. The questionnaire allows to get the complex assessment of anosognosia level by separate components and to present the profile of alcohol anosognosia as well.

[The study of characteristics of overdose among users of opioid drug injections].

Overdose is a serious problem as for people addicted to opioid drug injections (ODI) as well as for the community in general. To study characteristics of overdose, authors examined 60 ODI users and analyzed 27 overdose death cases. It has been shown that overdose is rather common among ODI users. Fatal and nonfatal overdoses most frequently take place among men at home or in the street. People often did not receive sufficient help in the overdose situation. We confirm the role of alcohol, long abstinence and variability in drug quality in the development of overdose. Witnesses of overdose in other users reported more health problems, family and social relations, were more concerned with their own and others risk in future compared to those reporting no overdose. Additional predictors were determined: a higher number of overdoses in the past; disturbances of family relations and somatic disorders. Mental disorders predicted the opioid overdose risk among ODI users. ODI users are interested in counseling and training to prevent overdose. Family psychotherapy and early diagnosis of comorbid disorders may be important ways of overdose prevention.

[Changes in the hemato-encephalic barrier in experimental liver cirrhosis]. / Izmeneniia gematoéntsefalicheskogo bar'era pri éksperimental'nom tsirroze pecheni.

Experiments on 30 Wistar female rats with tetrachloromethane-induced cirrhosis of the liver revealed structural changes in the hematoencephalic barrier presenting as peri- and endocapillary changes and changes in vascular peduncles of astrocytes shown by light and electron microscopy. Hematoencephalic barrier destabilization is conducive to penetration of cerebrotoxins and other metabolic toxins, this explaining the development of hepatic encephalopathy.