Trace elements in drug addicts.

We studied trace elements (zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, and lithium) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the plasma and erythrocytes of 120 subjects: 20 healthy controls and 100 parenteral drug addicts (69 heroin and 31 heroin + other drugs). Plasma Zn and intraerythrocytic Zn and Fe were decreased, whereas plasma and intraerythrocytic Cu were significantly increased in the group of drug addicts with respect to the healthy controls. Moreover, a period of abstinence longer than 10 days was associated with lower plasma levels of Zn and Li in subjects who had taken drugs shortly before they were examined. The presence of serological markers against HBV and HIV did not seem to influence the behavior of the trace elements in blood.

[The incidence of consumption coagulopathy in liver cirrhosis]. / Incidencia de la coagulopatía de consumo en la cirrosis hepática.

DIC in patients affected by cirrhosis, accompanied by portal hypertension and splenomegaly, has been suspected in the past. The main aim of this study is to ascertain the incidence of this phenomenon. We carried out coagulation and fibrinolytic tests in 113 cirrhotic patients and 20 healthy control persons. We found chronic consumption coagulopathy at analysis level in 28 cases (24.8%) with a decrease of fibrinogen, factor V, kallikrein, platelets, prothrombin complex activity, increase of PDF, partial thromboplastic time and euglobulin lysis. 25 cases had active cirrhosis, with ascites, variceal bleeding and/or hepatic encephalopathy; 3 were non-active cirrhosis. Only 7 patients had clinical DIC. We observed that coagulation disorders increased with more active cirrhosis.