Encuesta sobre el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en el consumo de medicamentos, drogas recreativas y bebidas alcohólicas en Argentina / Survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the consumption of medicines, recreational drugs and alcoholic beverages in Argentina

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the behavior in the use of medicines, recreational drugs and the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the Argentine population during the course of the ASPO (Social, Preventive and Mandatory Isolation) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: An online survey was designed ad hoc and was available between June 28 and July 9, 2020 through Surveymonkey© and was disseminated through social networks. Univariate and bivariate analyzes were performed.Results: 43.6% of the 2,906 participants reported using medications for chronic diseases. A significant difference (p= .000) was observed in the decrease in consumption between those who were treated in public health care providers (17.9%) and those who did it in private medicine (7.2%). Likewise, a significant difference was found in the decrease in access by the area of residence (p =.031), being lower in the City of Buenos Aires (6.8%) than in the rest of the national territory (10.6%). Of the total of individuals surveyed, 38.3% reported having self-medicated during the ASPO, of these 59.3% did not alter their self-medication routine, 15% decreased their consumption and 25.7% increased it.23.9% of the sample reported consuming recreational drugs. 47.8% of users reported having increased consumption. Likewise, 66.3% reported drinking alcohol regularly, and of these, 40.1% increased their consumption.Conclusions: It is important to continue the care of chronic diseases, mental health and substance use. In particular, strengthening the public health system and the provinces. (AU)

Objetivos: El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el comportamiento en el uso de medicamentos, drogas recreativas y el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas en la población argentina durante el transcurso del ASPO (Aislamiento Social, Preventivo y Obligatorio) por la pandemia de la Covid-19.Métodos: Se diseñó ad hoc una encuesta on-line disponible entre el 28 de junio y el 9 de julio del 2020 mediante Surveymonkey© difundida por redes sociales. Se realizaron análisis univariados y bivariados.Resultados: El 43,6% de los 2.906 participantes reportó utilizar medicamentos para enfermedades crónicas. Se observó una diferencia significativa (p=,000) en la disminución del consumo entre quienes se atienden en efectores públicos (17,9%) y quiénes lo hacen en la medicina privada (7,2%). Asimismo, se encontró una diferencia significativa en la disminución del acceso por la zona de residencia (p=,031), siendo menor en Ciudad de Buenos Aires (6,8%) que en el resto del territorio nacional (10,6%). Del total de individuos encuestados, el 38,3% refiere haberse automedicado durante el ASPO, de estos el 59,3% no alteró su rutina de auto-medicación, el 15% disminuyó su consumo y el 25,7% lo aumentó.El 23,9% de la muestra manifestó consumir drogas recreativas. El 47,8% de los usuarios informó haber aumentado el consumo. Asimismo, el 66,3% informó tomar alcohol regularmente, y de éstos, el 40,1% aumentó su consumo.Conclusiones: Es importante continuar la atención de las enfermedades crónicas, la salud mental y el uso de sustancias. En particular reforzando el sistema público de salud y del interior del país. (AU)

No effects of pulsed radio frequency electromagnetic fields on melatonin, cortisol, and selected markers of the immune system in man.

There is growing public concern that radio frequency electromagnetic fields may have adverse biological effects. In the present study eight healthy male students were tested to see whether or not radio frequency electromagnetic fields as used in modern digital wireless telecommunication (GSM standard) have noticeable effects on salivary melatonin, cortisol, neopterin, and immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels during and several hours after exposure. In a specifically designed, shielded experimental chamber, the circularly polarized electromagnetic field applied was transmitted by an antenna positioned 10 cm behind the head of upright sitting test persons. The carrier frequency of 900 MHz was pulsed with 217 Hz (average power flux density 1 W/m2). In double blind trials, each test person underwent a total of 20 randomly allotted 4 hour periods of exposure and sham exposure, equally distributed at day and night. The results obtained show that the salivary concentrations of melatonin, cortisol, neopterin and sIgA did not differ significantly between exposure and sham exposure.

[Time zone shift and the immune system during long-distance flights]. / Zeitverschiebung und Immunsystem bei Langstreckenflügen.

Recurrent infections could be seen in frequent flyers indicating an impaired immune reaction after long-distance flights. The increase of the concentration of neopterin points to an activation of the cellular part of the immune system. In combination with the altered differential blood counts, the changes in the proliferation rate of lymphocytes and the immune phenotyping the increase of neopterin leads to an explanation of the down-regulation of the immune system after flights. The mild hypoxia on board of an aircraft triggers an increase of catecholamines and cortisol in serum. Catecholamines lead to a shift of leukocytes from different compartments to the circulating blood and to an activation of immune cells. Cortisol triggers the differentiation of a subgroup of T-Lymphocytes with a rise in TH2-helper cells and a down-regulation of TH1-cells. The latter ones are, however, essential for an induction of a reaction of the cellular immune system and so the function of the cellular part of the immune system will be reduced. If no infection occurs, the concentration of neopterin in serum will drop to normal.

[Time zone shifts and jet lag after long-distance flights]. / Zeitverschiebung und Jet-Lag nach Langstreckenflügen.

Long distance flights with rapid time zone shifts of more than 3 hours lead to a dissociation of the inner circadian clock to the outer pacer. Additionally, the different endogenous circadian rhythms will not longer be synchronized by the endogenous pacer melatonin. This leads to complaints like sleepiness, sleep-disturbances and others. These symptoms are called jet-lag. The subject's performance is disturbed, as well. Different studies showed smaller problems with jet lag when travelling to the west. Since the inner circadian rhythm tends to be 24 up to 26 hours, travelling to the west with a prolongation of the daylight will be tolerated better than flights to the east with a shortening of the day length. Rapid time zone shifts with more than 8 hours to the east lead to individual different ways of resynchronization. Subject either try to adapt to the new time zone by shortening the day (backward adaptation) or they resynchronize forward with a longer duration of adaptation time. Elder subjects with already diminished circadian hormonal rhythm often get more problems concerning symptoms of the jet-lag and in time to recover from the disturbance of the inner clock. No differences can be found between business travelers, tourists and high-performance sportsmen. After flights to the west within 3 to 7 days, most of our inner circadian rhythm will be re-synchronized. After flights to the east, resynchronization can take 5 to 14 days. A symptomatic therapy of jet lag symptoms with a short-acting benzodiazepine like triazolam in a dosage of 12.5 mg or less is well tolerated. A therapy with oral melatonin in a dosage of 0.5 to 5 mg/day given in the evening 1 to 2 hours prior to the desired sleeping-time may be helpful for a group of subjects. Another group of subjects will not have any benefit of a therapy with melatonin, but cannot be defined in advance. A recommendation for a therapy with melatonin to treat jet lag symptoms cannot be given at the moment, since scientific data are still missing. Additionally, the same contaminants, which caused some deaths, as in the related substance tryptophan has been found in some tablets of melatonin.