Sexual dysfunction in tramadol hydrochloride use disorder male patients: a case-control study.

Evidence suggests that opioids can modulate gonadal function, with consequent decreased release of sex hormones. We attempted to investigate the sexual function of males using tramadol hydrochloride (HCL) and its relationship to levels of free testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone, and to compare them with heroin use disorder patients and healthy controls. Our sample consisted of 60 opiate use disorder patients (assessed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I) (30 heroin and 30 tramadol) and 30 healthy controls.

Alexithymia in Egyptian Substance Abusers.

Alexithymia is thought of as a trait that predisposes to drug abuse. Moreover, it is suggested to be related to type of the substance abused, with the worst-case scenario including a worse prognosis as well as tendency to relapse or even not to seek treatment at all. To address this important subject in Egyptian patients, a sample of 200 Egyptian substance abusers was randomly selected from inpatients in the Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

Is anxiety a more common disorder than depression in rheumatoid arthritis?

Objective: As most of the previous studies were done to study depressive disorders and/or symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, this study was performed to investigate whether anxiety disorder is as common as depressive disorder in these patients and to look for the socio-demographic as well as the clinical characteristics of the patients developing these disorders.

Methods: A detailed physical assessment of 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis was performed. Also psychiatric assessment was done using Research Diagnostic Criteria for the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10).