HCV and HIV Infection among Heroin Abusers in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program

Over the years, it was getting attention to hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immu-nodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among injected drug users (IDUs) in Taiwan. This study investigated the frequency of risky behaviors for HCV carriers and IDUs who were HIV carriers in methadone maintenance treatment program. The subjects, intravenously injected heroin abusers, were collected from a special methadone maintenance treatment clinic. The survey included characteristics of participants, sexual activity and attitude towards condom usage. The total number of subjects was 151. Data were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS 15.0. The analytical methods included descriptive analysis, Fisher’s exact test, and the logistic regression model. The study showed that 82% of intravenously injected heroin abusers were hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive, and 44.4% were hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive;89.5% of HIV-positive heroin abusers were type C hepatitis positive. Only 21.2% of these intra-venously injected heroin abusers always used a condom, and 39.7% never used a condom during sexual activity. Logistic regression analysis showed smoking, sharing syringes needles, HBV status and condom use status were four main risk factors on HIV infection. Sharing or using contaminated syringes needles was the main cause of HIV, HBV, and HCV infection in the drug addiction group. Since our government has the policy of providing a methadone maintenance treatment program, the spread of HIV is under control, but knowledge about HIV and safe sex education still needs improvement.

Altered functional connectivity of prefrontal cortex in chronic heroin abusers

In this study, we investigated alterations in the resting-state functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex in chronic heroin abusers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that, compared with normal controls, in heroin abusers the left prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left hippocampus, right anterior cingulate, left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. However, the right prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left orbital frontal cortex and the left middle frontal gyrus in chronic heroin abusers. These alterations of resting-state functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortices of heroin abusers suggest that their frontal executive neural network may be impaired, and that this may contribute to their continued heroin abuse and relapse after withdrawal.

PRESENT SITUATION AND ANALYSIS OF ACUPUNCTURE IN DRUG WITHDRAWAL

Drug withdrawal with acupuncture appeared in 1970 s, which is one of the major achievements in modern medicine. The paper reviews the formation and development of acupuncture in drug withdrawal, analyzes its advantages and mechanisms as well as the questions encountered in drug withdrawal. Additionally, some feasible suggestions are provided for the further development of acupuncture in drug withdrawal.

Primary studies on heroin abuse and injury induced by oxidation and lipoperoxidation

Objective To further reveal serious risks of heroin abuse to human body and clarify grave injuries of oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation induced by nitric oxide and other free radicals to heroin abusers Methods Determined and compared plasma levels of nitric oxide (P NO), vitamin C (P VC), vitamin E (P VE), β carotene (P β CAR), lipoperoxides (P LPO) and erythrocyte activities of superoxide dismutase (E SOD), catalase (E CAT), glutathione peroxidase (E GSH Px) and erythrocyte level of lipoperoxides (E LPO) in 137 cases of heroin abusers (HAs) and 100 cases of healthy volunteers (HVs), used linear regression and correlation, stepwise regression and correlation to analyze correlation among heroin abusing duration (HAD), daily heroin abusing quantity (DHAQ) with above determination values in the HAs Results Compared with the above average values in the HVs group, the average values of P NO, P LPO, E LPO in the HAs group were significantly increased ( P <0 0001), the average values of P VC, P VE, P β CAR, E SOD, E CAT and E GSH Px were significantly decreased ( P <0 0001); the analysis of linear regression and correlation showed that with ascending of the HAD and DHAQ in the HAs, the values of P NO, P LPO, E LPO were gradually increased ( P <0 0001), the values of P VC, P VE, P β CAR, E SOD, E CAT, E GSH Px were gradually decreased ( P <0 0001); the analysis of stepwise regression and correlation suggested that the correlation among the HAD, DHAQ with the values of P NO, P VC, P VE was the closest Conclusion The balance between oxidation and antioxidation in the HAs was seriously destroyed, and the injuries induced by nitric oxide and other free radicals, oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation reactions to the body of HAs gravely exacerbated In the abstaining from heroin dependence, therefore, it should consider that sufficient quantum antioxidants such as VC, VE and β CAR are dosed to the HAs so as to abate the injuries to their bodies