Among the study subjects, IDA had an adverse influence on renal functional and structural integrity which could be reversed with iron therapy. Oxidative stress played an important role in the pathogenesis of renal injury in IDA.

Background: The use of illicit drugs has become a worldwide health problem. Substances with the potential to be abused may have direct or indirect effects on physiologic mechanisms that lead to organ system dysfunction and diseases. Objective: The present study aims to investigate the structural and reabsorption integrity of the nephron among Egyptian addicts of tramadol alone and coabused with cannabis. Methods: Sixty-five males were included in the study, they were classified into control group (G1=19), tramadol addicts group (G2=18), and tramadol coabused with cannabis addicts group (G3=28). Parameters investigated for structural integrity were urinary levels ofleucineaminopeptidase and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, and urinary parameters for reabsorption integrity were levels of copper and zinc as well as calcium, also urinary creatinine was measured. In addition, urinary levels of tramadol and tetrahydrocannabinol were estimated. Results: Among the two addicted groups, all measured parameters were not significantly different in comparison with the control group except for urinary calcium excretion which was found to be significantly increased among the two addicted groups. Conclusion: Both tramadol addiction alone or coabused with cannabis causes increased urinary excretion of calcium, indicating reabsorption dysfunction of calcium without affecting structural integrity along the nephron.

No abstract

Owing to an error in the final stages of typesetting, the name of the fourth author, Ibrahim A. El-Safty, was rendered incorrectly in the original publication. The publisher regrets the inconvenience caused.The online version of the original article can be found at http://dx

Objectives:Opiates, particularly heroin, have been used for centuries for their positive reinforcing properties that lead to addiction. Naltrexone (NTX), an opioid antagonist, is capable of reducing these positive reinforcing effects. Heroin affects the immune system through its action on the interleukins (ILs). This study aimed to determine changes in the level of IL-2 and IL-4 in patients with heroin use disorder compared with healthy controls. Materials and Methods:This was a prospective case-control study conducted on 25 patients with heroin use disorder and 20 crossmatched healthy controls. We compared the levels of IL-2 and IL-4 between patients and controls and determined the changes that occurred to IL-2 and IL-4 during 4 different stages (during active use, 1 mo after abstinence, 1 and 4 mo after NTX treatment). It also evaluated the effect of dose and duration of heroin use on the level of ILs before and after NTX treatment. Results:This study revealed that patients showed a significantly lower level of IL-2 and a higher level of IL-4 in the patients' group compared with the control group during active use and 1 month after discontinuation while these significant differences disappeared after NTX treatment. Serum IL-4 level was affected by both heroin dose and duration of use. Conclusion:Heroin use negatively affects immunity by changing the level of IL-2 and IL-4 while NTX reversed this effect, so the study approved the beneficial use of NTX treatment on the immunity system in patients with heroin use disorder.