Male Alcoholics Research Articles

A hierarchical analysis of associated factors to lifetime suicide attempts in alcohol use disorder.

Substance use is strongly associated with suicide attempts throughout life. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicide attempts (SA) and associated factors in life in patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The sample consisted of 424 men with AUD who underwent treatment at the Addiction Psychiatry Unit of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The clinical evaluation included the Addiction Severity Index, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Variables that showed p-value < 0.05 in the bivariate analyses were included in a hierarchical regression model with robust variance to investigate associations with SA in life via estimation of adjusted Prevalence Ratios (PR). The lifetime prevalence of SA among alcohol users was 36.6%. Patients with childhood maltreatment, borderline personality disorder, and higher impulsivity scores had a higher lifetime prevalence of SA. Our findings indicate that male inpatient alcoholics present an important prevalence of SA. The study also corroborates the relationship between maltreatment, impulsivity, and borderline personality disorder with SA among inpatients in treatment for AUD.

Prevalence, Correlates, and Trends of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Cambodia: Findings From 2014 and 2021-22 Cross-Sectional Demographic and Health Surveys.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is globally endemic and a gross violation of human rights, in addition to abuse of intimacy by some men against their female intimate partners. Based on literature review, attitudinal, socio-demographic, and experiential attributes of 15 to 49 year old ever partnered women in the heterosexual relationships were identified. This study used the anonymized 2020-21Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) data to compute the IPV prevalence and its correlates, in addition to computing the changes in IPV prevalence at the urban, rural, and at the national levels using data from the 2014 CDHS. Identified attitudinal, socio-demographic, and experiential attributes were used in the bivariate and multivariable analysis. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were used for computing the bivariate and multivariate associations with IPV; additionally, trend analysis was done to compute changes in IPV prevalence between the 2 surveys. Lifetime prevalence of IPV was 20.70%, while the most common subtype was emotional IPV at 18.70%. Ten out of 12 correlates studied were found to be statistically significantly associated with IPV in the bivariate analysis. These were added in the multivariable model and 7 were found to be statistically significantly associated with IPV. Which included educational attainment of women and their intimate partners, number of living children, women's IPV acceptance, male partner's alcohol use, knowledge of physical beating of mother by one's father, and controlling behavior exercised by partner. During the intervening period between the 2 CDHSs, IPV and its subtypes were decreased in both urban and rural areas, as well as nationally. IPV decrease between the 2 DHSs and lower IPV rates in 2021-22 augur well for the health and human rights of Cambodian women. However, the ultimate target of eliminating IPV against women, will require measures that ensure economic and gender empowerment, and gender equality.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Hypersexuality in Patients with Dementia: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

The psychological and behavioral symptoms of dementia are frequently observed in clinical practice, and those related to sexuality are particularly challenging. However, few studies have evaluated the prevalence or factors associated with hypersexuality in patients with dementia. This study aims to determine the prevalence of hypersexuality in patients with dementia, describe associated factors, and qualitatively report the most common presentations and treatments. This retrospective cross-sectional study collected data from semi-structured charts of dementia patients who were followed up at a secondary care reference center between 2015 and 2019. Results: Of 552 total patients, 52 (9.3%) were hypersexual, which was associated with male sex (P < .000; OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.73-5.01), frontotemporal dementia (P < .007), alcohol use (P < .015; OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.16-4.73) and tobacco use (P < .000; OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.61-5.13). Although our findings were similar to the literature, their significant variability reflects the limited and low quality of the available evidence and a lack of standardization regarding terminology, definitions, and diagnostic criteria for hypersexuality.

Alcohol-induced hormonal and metabolic alterations in plasma and erythrocytes—a gender-based study

Purpose This study aimed to understand the gender-specific alcohol-induced biochemical changes and TBARS association with the endocrine system. Methods Human male and female subjects ranging from 35 ± 10 years old with an 8-10-year drinking history were included in the study. Results The results demonstrated that testosterone levels were lower in male alcoholics and higher in female alcoholics, as well as higher estrogen and cortisol levels in both genders. In addition, we found lower T3, T4, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in alcoholics of both sexes. Furthermore, plasma TBARS, protein carbonyls, nitrite, and nitrate levels increased significantly with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in both male and female alcoholics. Furthermore, erythrocyte lysate nitrite and nitrate levels membrane total cholesterol, phospholipid and cholesterol/phospholipid (C/P) ratio with lower total membrane proteins in both genders of alcoholics. SDS-PAGE analysis of erythrocyte membrane proteins revealed increased density of band 3, protein 4.1, 4.2, 4.9 and glycophorins, whereas decreases in spectrin (α and β) were observed in both genders of alcoholics. Besides, alcoholics of both sexes had a lower ability to resist osmotic hemolysis. Plasma TBARS was negatively correlated with testosterone, TSH, T3 and T4 in male alcoholics, moreover, estradiol and cortisol were positively correlated in males and females respectively. Conclusion Female alcoholics may be more susceptible to osmotic hemolysis due to increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation with decreased antioxidant status, which results in an altered membrane C/P ratio and membrane protein composition.

Lifestyle behaviours and associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo, China: A cross-sectional study.

The burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in China is significant and growing, and this is reflected in high rates of T2DM in the city of Ningbo, China. Consequent impacts on morbidity, mortality, healthcare expenditure, and health-related quality of life, make this a problem of the utmost importance to address. One way to improve T2DM outcomes is to address lifestyle behaviours that may affect prognosis and complications, such as physical activity levels, dietary habits, smoking status, and alcohol intake. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to describe the prevalence of being physically active, having a healthy diet, currently smoking, and currently drinking alcohol among people living with T2DM attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo, China. Regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with these lifestyle behaviours. We found a high prevalence of a healthy diet (97.8%, 95% CI 96.5-98.7%). Prevalence of being physically active (83.4%, 95% CI 80.6-85.9%), smoking (21.6%, 95% CI 18.8-24.6%), and alcohol drinking (32.9%. 95% CI 29.6-36.2%) appeared in keeping with those of the general population. Marked associations were demonstrated between male sex and smoking (OR 41.1, 95% CI 16.2-139.0), and male sex and alcohol drinking (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.62-6.20). Correlation between lifestyle factors was demonstrated including between alcohol drinking and smoking, and between physical activity and reduced smoking. General diabetes self-management education programmes that address multiple lifestyle risk factors simultaneously may be beneficial in this population. Specific interventions targeting smoking cessation and reduction in alcohol drinking may be of benefit to men living with T2DM attending a diabetes clinic in Ningbo.

Frontal EEG response to alcohol craving elicited by individually tailored video cues.

Most findings on the pathophysiology of alcoholism are based on studies using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). There are few studies on cue-induced craving and on its utility as an electrophysiological index. We examined quantitative EEG (qEEG) activities in alcoholics and social drinkers exposed to video cues and compared their association with subjective alcohol craving and other related psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and depression. This is a between-subjects design. Adult male alcoholics (n=34) and healthy social drinkers (n=33) participated. In a laboratory, EEGs were recorded while the participants were presented with craving-inducing video stimuli. Measures used were the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for subjective alcohol craving, Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ), Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. One-way analysis of covariance with age showed that alcoholics had significantly increased beta activity in the right DLPFC region (F4) (F=4.029, p=0.049), compared to social drinkers when craving-inducing stimuli were presented. Beta activity at the F4 electrode was positively correlated with AUQ (r=.284, p=0.021), BAI (r=.398, p=0.001), BDI (r=.291, p=0.018), and changes in VAS (r=.292, p=0.017) scores in both alcoholics and social drinkers. In alcoholics, beta activity was significantly correlated with BAI (r=.392, p=0.024). These findings imply functional importance of hyperarousal and negative emotions upon exposure to craving-inducing cues. Frontal EEG indices with beta power could serve as an objective electrophysiological index of craving induced by individually tailored video cues in alcohol consumption behavior.

Perforated peptic ulcer: a clinical study at Shri. Shankaracharya institute of medical sciences Bhilai, Chhattisgarh

Background: Perforation is a serious complication of PUD and patients with perforated peptic ulcer often carries high risk for morbidity and mortality. Acute perforated peptic ulcer is a leading cause of generalized peritonitis and its management has continued to be a challenging task in moderate resource setting environment. Aim and objective was to evaluate the different pattern of risk factors, clinical presentations, management and clinical outcome of patients with acute perforated peptic ulcer. Methods: This was a hospital based prospective observational study conducted in the Department of general surgery at Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. Total of 79 cases with diagnosis of perforated peptic ulcer treated were taken as sample size. A specially designed proforma was used to collect information on patients' demographics, symptoms, complications, duration of hospital stay and treatment outcome. Results: In present study male predominance was seen in peptic perforation cases 68.75% and M:F ratio was 2.2:1. Mortality rate was 17.71%. Mean hospital stay among survivors was 11.8 days and among non survivors 5.5±3.73 days. Most common risk factor seen was alcohol, smoking, peptic ulcer disease and NSAIDs ingestion. Whereas the most common presentation was abdominal pain, signs of peritonitis, abdominal distension. Cases with APCHE 2 score &gt;21 had 90% mortality. Conclusions: The present study conclude that perforated PUD is a life-threatening disease with high morbidities and mortalities. Male predominance, smoking and alcohol consumption and pain in abdomen were the common characteristics. APACHE 2 score was useful in assessing the risk of mortality.

Usefulness of Intraoperative Narrow-Band Imaging in the Site Diagnosis of Respiratory Papillomatosis.

Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is considered useful for detecting respiratory papillomatosis. However, the choice between preoperative and intraoperative NBI depends on the facility. We investigated the usefulness of NBI and determined whether preoperative NBI can replace intraoperative NBI with a comparable detection rate. In this retrospective cohort study conducted at single a tertiary care center, patients with respiratory papillomatosis treated between 2017 and 2022 were enrolled. We systematically compared preoperative white light imaging (WLI) with preoperative and intraoperative NBI. The primary endpoints were the papilloma detection rate and lesion site assessed by the Derkay scoring system. The secondary endpoints were the risk factors for increased Derkay scores. The study included 127 patients with papilloma. Intraoperative NBI yielded significantly higher Derkay scores than preoperative WLI (p < 0.001) and preoperative NBI (p = 0.004). The papilloma detection rates of preoperative WLI and preoperative NBI were not significantly different. Intraoperative NBI detected more lesions than preoperative NBI in 37 of 127 (29%) patients; the overall number of additional lesions was 47 of 279 (17%). Compared with preoperative NBI, intraoperative NBI yielded significantly higher scores for the vocal cords (p = 0.005), false vocal cords (p = 0.010), and ventricle of the larynx (p < 0.001). Elevated Derkay scores were significantly associated with male sex (p = 0.012) and alcohol consumption (p = 0.007). Intraoperative NBI is more accurate in detecting papillomatous lesions, and preoperative NBI cannot replace intraoperative NBI. 4 Laryngoscope, 134:1820-1824, 2024.

Secular trends and attributable risk factors of esophageal cancer deaths among non-elderly adults based on Global Burden of Disease Study.

Esophageal cancer (EC) poses a persistent threat to the health of non-elderly adults. This study aims to elucidate the temporal trends of EC-related mortality and investigate the impact of various risk factors on such deaths in the age group of 20-59years, spanning 3 decades. Data on EC deaths were acquired from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) study. We employed estimated average percentage change (EAPC) and linear mixed-effects (LME) models to analyze mortality trends and pertinent risk factors for EC. Between 1990 and 2019, EC mortality showed a downward trend, and the global number of deaths from EC among non-elderly adults surged by 24.37%. During this period, mortality rates saw an increase in only two regions-the Caribbean and Western Sub-Saharan Africa (EAPCs > 0). For male deaths, smoking and alcohol use emerged as the primary risk factors, while high body mass index (BMI) stood out as the main risk factor for female deaths. Furthermore, the LME model identified male sex, advancing age, alcohol use, smoking, and chewing tobacco as factors associated with an additional rise in EC deaths. EC continues to exert a substantial toll on mortality among young and middle-aged adults globally. Implementing targeted interventions are significant in alleviating the burden of this disease within this population.

Male Alcohol Use, Intimate Partner Violence, and Female Autonomy

Erkeğin Alkol Kullanımı, Partner Şiddeti, ve Kadın Özerkliği&#x0D; &#x0D; Bu çalışma, yakın partner şiddetinin evli veya bir partnerle birlikte yaşayan kadının karar verme yeteneği olarak tanımlanan kadın özerkliği üzerindeki etkisini analiz etmektedir. Çalışmada Türkiye için kadına yönelik aile içi şiddete ilişkin mikro düzeydeki veri seti kullanılmıştır. Yakın partner şiddetinin ortaya çıkışının ve seviyesinin kadının karar verme özerkliği üzerindeki nedensel etkisini tahmin etmek için araçsal değişkenler yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Tahmin sonuçları, son on iki ayda partner şidddetine maruz kalmanın kadının karar verme özerkliğini önemli ölçüde azalttığını göstermektedir. Öte yandan, son bir yılda yaşanan şiddet olaylarının sayısındaki bir birimlik artışın, özerkliği azalttığı tahmin edilmiştir. Özerkliğin azalma sebebinin, kadınları çalışmaktan caydırabilecek eş şiddetinin neden olduğu istihdam kaybı olup olmadığını bulmak için başka bir tahmin daha uygulanmıştır. IV tahminleri, eş şiddetinin, evli kadınlarla sınırlı olmayan örneklem için kadınları çalışmaya ittiğini göstermektedir. Bu sonuç, istihdama katılımın tek başına hanehalkında özgürlüğü sağlamak için yeterli olmadığını ve şiddeti önlemeye yönelik hukusal ve kurumsal önlemlerin eşliğinde hareket edilmesi gerekliliğini göstermektedir.&#x0D; &#x0D; Anahtar Kelimeler: Partner şiddeti, Kadın özerkliği, Alkol kullanımı, Hane içi pazarlığı, Araç değişken

Male infertility and alcohol use disorder identification test.

Male infertility and alcohol use disorder identification test.

Salivary Complaints in Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Cross Sectional Study on 500 Patients.

Xerostomia and sialorrhea often accompany Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) despite no change in saliva quantity. This study analyzed BMS patients with different symptom combinations: burning only (B), burning and xerostomia (BX), burning and sialorrhea (BS), and burning with xerostomia and sialorrhea (BXS), using a large sample of 500 patients from the University of Naples Federico II. After a medical evaluation, patients were divided into four groups based on their reported symptoms: B (140), BX (253), BS (49), and BXS (58). Patient data on education, BMI, smoking/alcohol habits, comorbidities, medication use, pain intensity, quality, and psychological profile were collected. The BX group showed a higher prevalence of patients taking blood thinners. Additional symptoms varied among groups, with the BX group experiencing more dysgeusia and globus, and the BS group reporting more tingling. Multivariate analysis identified BMI, dysgeusia, globus, and blood thinner use as significant factors in the B and BX groups, while male gender, tingling, alcohol use, and pain quality were significant in the BS and BXS groups. Overall, BMS patients display a complex range of symptoms, with xerostomia being the most frequent additional symptom. Sociodemographic, psychological, and medical factors cannot fully explain the variations in symptomatology among different patient subgroups. Further research is needed to understand the underlying causes and develop tailored treatment approaches.

Prevalence and factors associated with occupational injuries among building construction workers in the Gambia

BackgroundAlthough occupational injuries among building construction workers are a major public health concern, limited studies have focused on the prevalence and factors associated with injuries among building construction workers in...

Pattern of alcohol consumption among alcohol consumers in a rural area of Tamil Nadu: a community based descriptive cross-sectional study

Background: Alcohol consumption is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease and disability; in middle- income countries, it is the greatest risk. Alcohol is attributed to nearly 3.2% of all deaths and results in a loss of 4% of total DALYs. Aim and objectives were to study the pattern of alcohol consumption among alcohol consumers and to assess the factors influencing it among them. Methods: This study was conducted in the Milaganoor village in south Tamil Nadu with alcohol habit; All male with alcohol consuming habit above 13 years of age were included in the study and none were excluded from the study. The data was using a semi structured questionnaire. The data collected were consolidated and analyzed using SPSS software; The descriptive statistics were used in the study. Results: In study there were 1200 male and 1500 female. In only 900 males were with alcohol habit; 62.2% of male alcoholics illiterate; While seeing source of alcohol 94.4% of alcoholics taking alcohol in TASMAC without bar; 61.1% taking quarter amount of alcohol; 94.4% of alcoholic drink alcohol for fun; 27.7% for peer pressure; 46.6% drink alcohol to forget worries; 83.3% drink alcohol to relieve stress; 66.6% drink to get rid of withdrawal symptoms. Conclusions: It can be concluded that early age of onset and peer pressure are the alarming challenges for the eradication of this social evil. Low education and having a family history of alcohol use are more at risk to it. Health education is the most required intervention to reduce the burden of alcohol use.

Computed Tomography Imaging of Geriatric Patients with Uncertain Head Trauma

BackgroundAlthough clinical decision rules exist for patients with head injuries, no tool assesses patients with unknown trauma events. Patients with uncertain trauma may have unnecessary brain imaging. ObjectiveThis study evaluated risk factors and outcomes of geriatric patients with uncertain head injury. MethodsThis prospective cohort study included geriatric patients with definite or uncertain head injury presenting to two emergency departments (EDs). Patients were grouped as definite or uncertain head trauma based on history and physical examination. Outcomes were intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on head computed tomography (CT), need for neurosurgical intervention, and mortality. Risk factors assessed included gender, alcohol use, tobacco use, history of dementia, anticoagulant use, antiplatelet use, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score < 15. ResultsWe enrolled 2905 patients with definite head trauma and 950 with uncertain head trauma. Rates of acute ICH (10.7% vs. 1.5%; odds ratio [OR] 8.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.67–13.76), delayed ICH (0.7% vs. 0.1%; OR 6.58; 95% CI 4.67–13.76), and neurosurgical intervention (1.2% vs. 0.3%; OR 3.74; 95% CI 1.15–12.20) were all higher in definite vs. uncertain head injuries. There were no differences in mortality. Patients with definite trauma had higher rates of ICH with male gender (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.24–1.99), alcohol use (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.25–2.09), antiplatelet use (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.46–2.31), and GCS score < 15 (OR 3.24; 95% CI 2.54–4.13). Patients with uncertain trauma had no characteristics associated with increased ICH. ConclusionsAlthough ICH rates among patients with uncertain head trauma was eight times lower than those with definite head trauma, the risk of ICH is high enough to warrant CT imaging of all geriatric patients with uncertain head injury.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis/hepatocellular carcinoma: A single-center retrospective study

Background and aimsHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health problem which progresses to liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early prediction of disease changes and intervention are essential to slow disease progression and protect liver function. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with HBV-related LC and HCC at different serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and explore the risk factors of HBV infection progressing to LC/HCC. MethodsA total of 379 patients with HBV infection treated in The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen between January 2014 and December 2016 without any antiviral drug therapy were enrolled. Patients were divided into the LC/HCC and non-LC/HCC groups based on clinical diagnosis, which was determined through imaging and expressions of pathological and laboratory test markers, and patients with LC/HCC were further divided into three groups according to the serum ALT levels. Differences in general information, clinical symptoms, and expression levels of serological indices of the above groups were compared and analyzed, logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for LC/HCC development, and the clinical diagnostic efficacy of indicators was judged by the receiver operator characteristic (ROC). ResultsLC/HCC mainly occurred in the ALT normal and mildly elevated groups, with 70.83% of patients with HCC having an LC background. In the comparison of different ALT level groups, the moderately–severely elevated group had the highest proportion of patients with skin jaundice, abdominal varices, rebound tenderness, higher white blood cell and neutrophil (NEUT) counts; and higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin. The LC/HCC group was older and had significantly higher proportions of male patients, alcohol consumption, and combined hypertension than the non-LC/HCC group (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, combined hypertension, abdominal varicose veins, subcostal palpation, and NEUT count were risk factors for LC/HCC development; and the area under the curve for this model on the ROC analysis was 0.935 (95% confidence interval 0.899–0.972) with specificity and sensitivity of 97.4% and 70.7%, respectively. ConclusionsAdvanced age, combined hypertension, abdominal varicose veins, subcostal palpation, and high NEUT count are risk factors for LC/HCC development in patients with untreated HBV infection.

Gambling participation among Connecticut adolescents from 2007 to 2019: Potential risk andprotective factors.

Gambling in adolescents is a public health concern. This study sought to examine patterns of gambling among Connecticut high-school students using seven representative samples covering a 12-year period. Data were analyzed from N = 14,401 participants in cross-sectional surveys conducted every two years based on random sampling from schools in the state of Connecticut. Anonymous self-completed questionnaires included socio-demographic data, current substance use, social support, and traumatic experiences at school. Chi-square tests were used to compare socio-demographic characteristics between gambling and non-gambling groups. Logistic regressions were used to assess changes in the prevalence of gambling over time and effects of potential risk factors on the prevalence, adjusted for age, sex, and race. Overall, the prevalence of gambling largely decreased from 2007 to 2019, although the pattern was not linear. After steadily declining from 2007 to 2017, 2019 was associated with increased rates of gambling participation. Consistent statistical predictors of gambling were male gender, older age, alcohol and marijuana use, higher levels of traumatic experiences at school, depression, and low levels of social support. Among adolescents, older males may be particularly vulnerable to gambling that relates importantly to substance use, trauma, affective concerns, and poor support. Although gambling participation appears to have declined, the recent increase in 2019 that coincides with increased sports gambling advertisements, media coverage and availability warrants further study. Our findings suggest the importance of developing school-based social support programs that may help reduce adolescent gambling.

Prevalence and risk factors of prehypertension/hypertension among freshman students from the Vietnam National University: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPrehypertension (PHT) and hypertension (HTN) in young adults are essential risk factors for other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in later years of life. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the burden and risk factors of PHT/HTN for Vietnamese youth. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PHT/HTN and risk factors among university students in Hanoi, Vietnam.MethodsThis study was designed as a cross-sectional investigation with 840 students (394 males and 446 females) randomly sampled from freshmen of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU). Socio-demographic, anthropometric, and lifestyle data were collected using questionnaire forms and physical measurements. HTN was defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140/90 mmHg and/or current treatment with antihypertensive medications. PHT was defined as a systolic BP from 120 to 139 mmHg and/or a diastolic BP from 80 to 89 mmHg. Body mass index (BMI) was classified according to the WHO diagnostic criteria for Asian adults: normal weight (BMI 18.5–22.9 kg/m2), underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 23–24.9 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Bivariable and multivariable log-binomial regression analyses were conducted to explore the association of PHT/HTN with different risk factors.ResultsThe overall prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 33.5% [95% CI: 30.3–36.8%] (54.1% in men and 15.3% in women) and 1.4% [95% CI: 0.7–2.5%] (2.5% in men and 0.5% in women), respectively. Regarding CVD major risk factors, 119 (14.2%) were identified as overweight/obese, 461 (54.9%) were physical inactivity, 29.4% of men and 8.1% of women reported consuming alcohol. The multivariable analysis indicated the male sex (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 3.07; 95% CI: 2.32–4.06), alcohol consumption (aPR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.03–1.59) and obesity (aPR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.08–1.68) as the independent risk factors for PHT/HTN.ConclusionsThe results revealed the high burden of prehypertension and hypertension among university freshmen in VNU. Male sex, alcohol consumption, and obesity were identified as important risk factors for PHT/HTN. Our study suggests an early screening program for PHT/HTN and campaigns to promote a healthy lifestyle for young adults in Vietnam.

Prevalence of illicit drug use in young patients with sudden cardiac death

Illicit drug use may accelerate coronary disease and cardiac hypertrophy or stimulate arrhythmias. Rates of illicit drug use in young patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD) are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to identify rates of illicit drug use in young patients with SCD. A prospective statewide registry identified out-of-hospital patients with cardiac arrest aged 18-50 years from April 2019 to April 2021. Clinical characteristics were compared between patients with and without illicit drug use (defined by toxicological results or reported regular use). Illicit drugs included amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and other drugs. A total of 554(40.2%) of 1378 patients had confirmed cardiac cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with 523 undergoing toxicological assessment. There were 170 patients (32.5%) having either positive toxicology for illicit drugs (n = 138) or negative toxicology but reported regular drug use (n = 32). Patients with SCD and illicit drug use were more commonly male (81.2% vs 72.3%; P = .028), smokers (38.8% vs 19.8%; P ≤ .0001), and excess alcohol drinkers (30.6% vs 20.6%; P = .012) and had a psychiatric diagnosis (38.8% vs 25.7%; P = .002), lower body mass index (29.4 kg/m2 vs 31.7 kg/m2; P = .0063), and lower rates of hypertension (10.6% vs 18.6%; P = .019). Death commonly occurred while sedentary (47.5%) or during sleep (45.8%). Accounting for these baseline differences, there were no differences in rates of coronary disease or cardiomyopathy. Cannabis (n = 106) was the most common illicit drug identified and polysubstance abuse occurred frequently (n = 25). Approximately one-third of young patients with SCD have positive toxicology at the time of death or reported frequent use of illicit drugs, with high rates of polysubstance abuse.

Effects of alcohol use on sperm chromatin structure, a retrospective analysis

BackgroundThe evaluation of the infertile couple is often complex as multiple factors in both the male and female can contribute, including social history. Previous studies have displayed that male ethanol consumption can disturb sperm motility, nuclear maturity, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integrity. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of male alcohol use on sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA®).This study was a retrospective chart review of 209 couples that presented to a midsize infertility clinic in the Midwest and had a semen analysis and SCSA® performed. Data extracted from the electronic medical record included demographics, tobacco use, alcohol use, occupational exposures, semen analysis results, and SCSA® results (DNA Fragmentation index (DFI) and High DNA stainability (HDS)). Statistical analysis was performed on this data set to determine significance with a p-level of 0.05, with the primary input being level of alcohol use and primary outcome being the SCSA® parameters.ResultsOverall, 11% of the cohort had heavy alcohol use (> 10 drinks/week), 27% moderate (3–10/week), 34% rare (0.5- < 3/week), and 28% none. 36% of the cohort had HDS > 10% (a marker of immature sperm chromatin). Level of alcohol use was not significantly associated with HDS > 10% or DFI. Heavier alcohol use was significantly associated with lower sperm count (p = 0.042). Increasing age was significantly associated with increasing DNA Fragmentation Index (p = 0.006), increased sperm count (p = 0.002), and lower semen volume (p = 0.022). Exposure to heat at work was significantly associated with lower semen volume (p = 0.042). Tobacco use was associated with lower sperm motility (p < 0.0001) and lower sperm count (p = 0.002).ConclusionsThere was not a significant association between the level of alcohol use and the High DNA Stainability or DNA Fragmentation Index of sperm. Increasing age was associated with semen parameters as expected, heat exposure was associated with lower semen volume, and tobacco use was associated with lower sperm motility and density. Further studies could investigate alcohol use and reactive oxidative species in sperm.