فهرست مطالب n. nakhaee

Central nervous system is one of the primary targets of the detrimental effects of narcotics. Although opiates are among the most drugs of abuse, little is known about their side effects on the brain structures. Most investigations in this field are about their biochemical or psychological side effects. In this study pathologic changes in morphine dependent rats have been investigated.

In this double blind experimental study, 48 male wistar rats were divided into 6 groups. The dependent groups received 0.4mg/ml morphine in drinking water for 7, 28 and 56 days. The control groups received a solution of saccharose in drinking water for the same periods and then the histological studies of the brain samples were done.

Significant neuronal loss in frontal and parietal lobes and hippocampus was observed. Results also showed a significant relationship between the duration of morphine intake and neuronal loss.

The results of this study, in line with the other studies in this field indicate that opiate drugs might induce neuronal damage after long term exposure. These changes could be more significant in chronic addiction. Since brain atrophy is the most common pathology in dementia, further investigations for finding probable relations between dementia and opiate dependency is suggested.

The charts of 27 patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) admitted to Nemazee Hospital in Shiraz from January 1991 to October 1998 were reviewed to identify the results of mean peroxidase index (MPXI) values, a measure of neutrophil staining intensity, obtained by the Technicon HI analyzer (Technicon Instruments Corp., Tarrytown, NY) within the first 10 days of the illness 2 separate groups of patients were assessed as control subjects: 27 disease control (DC) children with fever plus one other KD criterion and 27 laboratory control (LC) subjects with nonfebrile disorders interpreting also as a normal reference population. Compared with control groups, patients with KD had lower quantities of MPXI [(Mean±SD, -11.71±5.87 in KD group) vs. (1.53±4.30 p<0.001 in DC group, and 1.74±6.52,p<0.001 in LC group)]. Depending on the location of the cut-off point expressed on an interval scale, this test had the ability to be 100% specific ( if MPXI0). Considering the low prevalence of hereditary myeloperoxidase (MPO) deficiency ( 1 in 2000), measurement of MPXI, when performed as part of a complete count on an automated hematology instrument, could be counted as an important adjunct to clinical evaluation and also according to the low values of MPXI in patients with KD, it can be included among the acquired causes of MPO deficiency.