Background: Cocaine abuse is capable of activating the innate immune system in the CNS resulting in deregulation of homeostasis between pro and antiinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of pro and antiinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-10 respectively, in cocaine users from a young population-based sample.
Methods: This is a case-control study nested in a cross-sectional population-based survey, with individuals of 18 and 35 years old. Two groups were selected: 24 healthy controls and 12 subjects who reported cocaine use. Serum IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA using a commercial kit.
Results: There was a statistically significant increase in IL-6 (p=0.037) and decrease in IL-10 (p=0.007) serum levels, between cocaine users and the control group. There was also an increase in the ratio IL-6/IL-10 (p=0.013) among cocaine users individuals, when compared to the control group.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that cocaine users showed an activation of the immune system when compared a control group, demonstrating a disruption in the balance of pro and antiinflammatory cytokines. Thus, peripheral cytokines may represent a putative biomarkers for cocaine users, contributing to the development of diagnosis and effective treatments.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.024 | DOI Listing |
Heliyon
January 2025
Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Câmpus de São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Objective: This study aims to analyze saliva composition in crack users using vibrational spectroscopy.
Material And Methods: A total of 90 participants were meticulously selected and divided into three groups, each comprising 30 individuals. All participants met the criterion of having no observable clinical changes in the oral mucosa.
Harm Reduct J
January 2025
Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland.
Background: Scotland currently has amongst the highest rates of drug-related deaths in Europe, leading to increased advocacy for safer drug consumption facilities (SDCFs) to be piloted in the country. In response to concerns about drug-related harms in Edinburgh, elected officials have considered introducing SDCFs in the city. This paper presents key findings from a feasibility study commissioned by City of Edinburgh Council to support these deliberations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJTCVS Open
December 2024
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Houston, Tex.
Objective: To investigate the influence of cannabis consumption on the mid- and long-term surgical outcomes of patients with aortic aneurysms or dissections.
Methods: All individuals aged 18 years and older with more than 6 months of cannabis use at the time of surgical repair for cardiovascular disease (aortic aneurysms or aortic dissection) between 2007 and 2023 were eligible. Patients were stratified into 2 groups based on their preoperative history of cannabis use: cannabis users and noncannabis users.
Int J Soc Psychiatry
December 2024
Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Background: Substance Use Disorders are often associated with significant levels of domestic and external violence registered among abusers. This investigation aimed to evaluate the Domestic Violence Involvement (DVI) and related gender differences among Crack Cocaine Users in Brazil.
Methods: For this purpose, a secondary data analysis of a multicenter cross-sectional study involving 780 Crack Cocaine Users from 6 Brazilian capitals was performed.
BMC Public Health
December 2024
Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the salience of material needs and financial precarity on mental health and distress. Women who use drugs (WWUD) experienced significant mental distress and multiple material need insecurities before the pandemic. However, research is limited on the nature of these insecurities during the pandemic despite both material scarcity and mental distress placing WWUD at greater risk of drug-related harms such as overdose.
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