OBJECTIVES Our aim was to determine the diagnostic value of transesophageal echocardiography in right-sided endocarditis. BACKGROUND Recent studies have demonstrated that transesophageal echocardiography is superior to transthoracic echocardiography in the detection of vegetations associated with left-sided endocarditis. Its diagnostic value in right-sided endocarditis has not been establishe...

This study evaluates the effect of forgone payoffs in decision-making tasks used for studying individual differences. We investigate whether the disclosure of forgone payoffs (defined as payoffs associated with un-chosen alternatives) has selective effects for drug abusers. Evidence suggests that drug abusers are hypersensitive to signals of positive reward. Accordingly, because the forgone pay...

recently, there have been more reports of cardiac valve infections due to the increasing number of intravenous (iv) drug abusers and chronic renal failure patients. among cardiac valves, tricuspid valve is most commonly affected in the course of endocarditis. appropriate management of these patients is a challenging and controversial issue in the field of cardiac surgery. treatment options in s...

The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was studied in an English teaching hospital over an 18 month period. A total of 104 HCV antibody positive patients were referred for further investigation. They were divided into those diagnosed through screening (blood donors and intravenous drug abusers) and those diagnosed for other reasons, and their mean ages, known risk factors for HCV...

BACKGROUND Drug-related death (DRD) figures, published by the national performance management framework, are used to monitor the performance of Drug (and Alcohol) Action Teams (D[A]ATs) in England and Wales with respect to reducing DRDs among drug abusers. To date, no investigation has been made into the types of death included in these figures, the demographic and drug profile of those who die...

BACKGROUND Although a priority for tuberculosis control is to achieve the maximum cure rate, compliance with chemotherapy in specific high risk groups (homeless, intravenous drug abusers, chronic alcoholics) is usually poor. METHODS From January 1990 to December 1994 102 patients with tuberculosis (96 pulmonary, six extrapulmonary) who were poorly compliant with treatment were treated with a ...

background: substance abuse is as a health-related behavioral problem, which more or less all countries have to deal with it. this behavior has broad effects on the individual and societal level, thereforeidentifying factors associated with this behavior is necessary. this study compared rates of depression, anxiety and stress between drug abusers and non-abusers. methods: this was a descriptiv...

Intravenous drug abusers commonly develop endocarditis due to injection of particulate matter that can cause endothelial damage to the valves. The frequent need to access the venous system can result in vascular traumas with potential complications including arteriovenous (AV) fistulas. Here, we present the case of an intravenous drug abuser with endocarditis and an unusually large AV fistula i...