Tramadol use and public health consequences in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Misuse of tramadol, an opioid prescription analgesic, is known as a public health challenge globally. We aimed to systematically review studies on the prevalence of non-prescribed use, regular tramadol use and dependence, tramadol-induced poisoning and mortality in Iran. METHODS: Consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, international (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science) and Persian (SID) databases were systematically searched up to June 2019. Other relevant data were collected through personal contacts and review of reference lists. Pooled estimates of prevalence of tramadol use in subgroups of males and females, percentage of tramadol poisoning among admitted poisoning cases, tramadol-associated seizures and mortality among tramadol poisonings and percentage of tramadol as a cause of death among fatal drug-poisoning records were estimated through a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 84 records were included. Pooled estimates of last 12-month use of tramadol in the Iranian general population were 4.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.1-5.9] and 0.8% (95% CI = 0.2-1.8) among males and females, respectively. The estimates for last 12-month use among Iranian male and female university students were 4.8% (95% CI = 1.9-8.9) and 0.7% (95% CI = 0.3-1.1), respectively. Six heterogeneous reports indicated the existence of regular use of tramadol and dependence in Iran. Sixty-two studies provided data on tramadol-induced poisoning, seizures and mortality. The pooled estimate of the percentage of tramadol poisoning among all drug-poisoning patients was 13.1% (95% CI = 5.7-22.9). The overall estimates of seizures and mortality among tramadol-poisoning patients were 34.6% (95% CI = 29.6-39.8) and 0.7% (95% CI = 0.0-1.9), respectively. The pooled percentage of tramadol-related fatalities among drug-poisoned cases was 5.7% (95% CI = 0.5-15.4). CONCLUSION: Despite control policies, tramadol use is as prevalent as the use of illicit opioids in Iran. Numerous cases of tramadol abuse, dependence, poisonings, seizures and hundreds of tramadol-related deaths have been reported in recent years.

Extranodal NK/T Cell Lymphoma with Destruction of the Uvulae: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Extranodal Natural Killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) nasal type is a rare but well-known disease with poor prognosis. NKTCL is more prevalent in Asia and comprises about 7-10% of all non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in this region. The characteristic clinical pattern of NKTCL is the destruction of the midline structures of the mid-face. CASE REPORT: The present study examines a case of NKTCL in a 23-year-old man with a destructive ulcer of the palate and uvulae. Based on immunohistochemical results, after three months of delay, the definitive diagnosis was revealed to be Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma. Following the third cycle of chemotherapy, the patient died due to sepsis and infection. CONCLUSION: It is very common to misdiagnose NKTCL with other clinical conditions such as necrotizing stomatitis, deep fungal ulcers, Wegener's Granulomatosis disease, etc. Delay in diagnosis can worsen the course of the disease and its prognosis.