An open trial of pharmacological treatment with fluoxetine, ranging from 20 mg every other day to 80 mg per day, led to a significant improvement in Clinical Global Impressions ratings of Clinical Severity in 15 of 23 subjects with autistic disorder and 10 of 16 subjects with mental retardation Six of 23 patients with autistic disorder and 3 of 16 patients with mental retardation had side effects which significantly interfered with function, consisting predominantly of restlessness, hyperactivity, agitation, decreased appetite, or insomnia Double-blind studies of the efficacy of pharmacological agents that potently inhibit 5-IIT uptake in the treatment of mental retardation coexisting with Axis I psychiatric disorders (especially obsessive-compulsive disorder) and autistic disorder are warranted

Fluoxetine treatment of children and adults with autistic disorder and mental retardation

Effect of pH, ethanol and acidity on astringency and bitterness of grape seed tannin oligomers in model wine solution

The contribution of brain reward circuits to the obesity epidemic

Quality of life among opiate-dependent individuals: A review of the literature

Alcohol and alcohol-related diseases have become a major cause of death in Western countries. The most sensitive and specific of the commonly used biomarkers of alcohol intake are carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), and the combination of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and CDT. Other widely used laboratory markers are GGT, mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes and the ratio of aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase. Blood ethanol levels reveal recent alcohol use. However, more specific and sensitive biomarkers to improve the detection of excessive alcohol use at an early stage are needed. New biomarkers, not yet used in routine clinical work, include phosphatidylethanol, fatty acid ethyl esters, ethyl glucuronide, sialic acid, and acetaldehyde adducts.

Biochemical markers of alcoholism.

The aim of our study was to present cases of misuse of different substances theoretically without abuse potential. In the last few years such behavior became an increasing problem in toxicological and emergency units. Lack of typical signs of intoxication with psychoactive substances, and negative results of standard toxicological tests may be a challenge for toxicologists and emergency medicine practitioners.

[Misuse of substances theoretically without abuse potential--case series].

The aim of this study was to check the usefulness of urine beta-hexosaminidase activity determination as a tool of monitoring sobriety in alcohol dependent individuals. The examinations were performed in 93 patients undergoing detoxification treatment after heavy drinking and in 29 individuals who were starting psychotherapeutic treatment after declaring at least 2 weeks abstinence period. Enzyme activity was determined using a spectrofluorimetric method and was referred to urine creatinine level. In the detoxification group the abnormally high beta-hexosaminidase activity was decreasing gradually toward normal values within 2 weeks. In less than 10% of the patients atypical increase was observed in the course of treatment, what could be attributed to an, influence of nonspecific factors or possibly to misbehavior (alcohol drinking or urine samples substitution). Among individuals who declared at least 2 weeks abstinence period (psychotherapeutic group) in 25% of cases abnormally high enzyme activity was detected, what suggested their more recent alcohol drinking.

[Urinary beta-hexosaminidase activity as a marker for the monitoring of sobriety].

The usefulness of beta-hexosaminidase (uHex) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (uGGT) activity in urine as markers of chronic alcohol abuse was examined in male methadone programme participants. The group consisted of 24 non-abusing and 21 alcohol-abusing men. It has been demonstrated that the uHex test is one of the best alcohol abuse markers for opiate-dependent individuals (Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) 0.82, sensitivity 0.70, specificity 0.82). The uGGT test can be used as a marker of alcohol abuse in opiate-dependent men, however, its parameters are worse than those of uHex (ROC AUC 0.73, sensitivity 0.71, specificity 0.77). Among serum markers, only the relative amount of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (s%CDT) has parameters sufficient for diagnostic use (ROC AUC 0.74, sensitivity 0.60, specificity 0.86). Factors other than alcohol can render the commonly used sGGT and sHex tests useless (differences between means for abusing and abstinent patients were insignificant, AUC ROC were lower than 0.7-0.65 and 0.69, respectively). Their good parameters, low costs, ease of use and non-invasive character are all features which make uHex and uGGT highly useful tools in the detection of chronic alcohol abuse in opiate-dependent patients participating in a methadone substitution programme.

The activity of beta-hexosaminidase (uHex) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (uGGT) in urine as non-invasive markers of chronic alcohol abuse: II. Opiate-dependent subjects receiving methadone substitution.

Six male prisoners who misused xylometazoline nasal drops by inhalation were interviewed by a prison physician in 2006. The prisoners received xylometazoline drops during regular visits in the prison ambulatory service. In order to get the medication, the subjects reported false symptoms of rhinosinusitis and allergic reactions. Psychoactive effects of inhaled xylometazoline were described as “stimulation,” “excitation,” and “feeling of strength.” Although preliminary, our findings suggest that topical adrenergic decongestants can produce rewarding effects when administered by inhalation.

Misuse of Xylometazoline Nasal Drops by Inhalation

Usefulness of urinary beta-hexosaminidase determinations in patients on methadone substitution to pinpoint cases of alcohol abuse was studied. It was found that methadone, illegal drugs and HIV seropositivity had no effect upon the activity of this enzyme. The enzyme activity was significantly higher in patients who admitted to occasional heavy drinking than in those who declared abstinence (p = 0.014), and in healthy controls (p = 5*10(-8)), but still lower than in alcohol dependent persons undergoing detoxification (p = 0.024). In the group of opiate dependent persons in methadone substitution program the sensitivity of the test was 87% and the specificity--80%.

Boguslaw Habrat

Papers

[Misuse of substances theoretically without abuse potential--case series].

[Urinary beta-hexosaminidase activity as a marker for the monitoring of sobriety].

The activity of beta-hexosaminidase (uHex) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (uGGT) in urine as non-invasive markers of chronic alcohol abuse: II. Opiate-dependent subjects receiving methadone substitution.

Misuse of Xylometazoline Nasal Drops by Inhalation

[Use of urinary beta-hexosaminidase for diagnosing alcoholism in persons with opiate dependency in a methadone substitution program].