Among a large group of users of illicit intravenous drugs, the incidence of bullous pulmonary damage was noted to be 2 percent (6/387). Bullous damage was significantly different in the drug users than in those who did not use drugs. The drug users were significantly younger than the nonusers, their bullae were large and confined to the upper lobes, and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency was very u...

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) received reports of 593 cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the US between June 1, 1981, and September 15, 1982. Death occurred in 243 (41%) of these cases. The incidence of AIDS by date of diagnosis has roughly doubled every 6 months since late-1979, and an average of 1-2 cases are now diagnosed per day. The mortality rate for cases di...

CHEST I 93 I 3 I MARCH, 1988 647 In summary, we report the first patient with bilateral pneumothoraces, bilateral empyemas and baeteremia resuiting from the common practice of illicit drug injection into the internal jugular veins. Needle marks in the supraclavicular area in dyspneic patients suspected of intravenous drug abuse should alert physicians to the possibility of these potentially lif...

Pseudoaneurysms of the subclavian artery are extremely rare lesions despite the overall increase in the frequency of septic pseudoaneurysms caused by illicit parenteral drug abuse. A case of subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm presenting with Horner's syndrome in an intravenous drug user is discussed.

introduction: spontaneous perforation of the nasal septum is an uncommon condition. nasal inhalation of substances such as cocaine has long been linked to this perforation. case report: this report describes the case of a 46-year-old woman who was addicted to methamphetamine and who presented with perforation of the nasal septum.this is the first reported case of nasal septal necrosis linked to...

We tested prospectively for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in one orthopaedic surgeon's operative practice for one year. Of 425 consecutive patients, 19 (4.5%) were positive for HCV infection using a second-generation screening assay. The highest correlation with a positive test was the presence of tattoos and the second highest was intravenous drug abuse, but only after a second interview, since most...

A 4-month prospective study of intravenous drug abusers attending an accident and emergency department was performed. A total of 92 patients presented with 104 new complaints. Seventy-eight per cent of patients were under 30 years of age and 28% were female. The primary reason for attendance was related to trauma in 30% of attendances, accidental or deliberate overdose in 26% and as a result of...

Aim To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) among prisoners in Zenica prison, and to investigate the relation between HCV and risky behaviors: intravenous drugs use (IDU), tattooing, promiscuity. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted at the High Security Penitentiary in Zenica involved 200 convicted persons who gave their consents for the research. Their blood wa...

Objective. We present the clinical, biochemical, and imaging findings of a woman with vitamin D deficiency and severe osteomalacia related to intravenous heroin addiction. Results. A 54-year-old woman with a medical history significant for long-standing heroin abuse presented with complaints of bone pain, muscle cramping, and a left hip ulcer. She had been bed bound for approximately 1 year sec...