Abstract

        Background and Objective: Methamphetamine has strong stimulating effects on various systems of the human body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hematological and biochemical parameters in methamphetamine addicts and to compare them with healthyindividuals.

     Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study that was conducted in 1390-91 in Ibn Sina Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Measurement of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase), albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and blood parameters such as platelets and white blood cells(WBCs) count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit of 60 individuals addicted to methamphetamine and 60 healthy subjects as a control group was carried out.

      Results: Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, WBCs and platelet count and serum creatinine levels in methamphetamine addicts were significantly higher than the control group(p-value <0.001), while hemoglobin, hematocrit and albumin levels were lower in these patients (p-value <0.001).

      Conclusion: The use of methamphetamine increases lipid peroxidation, changes levels of inflammatory markers and increases liver enzymes, which may increase the risk of liver diseases. It also increases WBCs and platelets count as an early sign of inflammatory disease progression, associated with methamphetamine abuse. Decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit can also increase the risk of anemia in these patients. These observations may give us a better understanding about the biological mechanisms associated with the pathology of methamphetamine consumption in Iran and help us prevent and solve the problems arising from this drug.

        Keywords: Methamphetamine, Hematological Tests, Biological Markers, Oxidative Stress

ABSTRACT
          Background and Objectives: C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is a chemokine receptor expressed at high levels on the surface of T-cells. A 32-bp deletion in the coding region of the CCR5 (CCR5Δ32) leads to production of an incomplete protein that is not expressed on the cell surface. CCR5Δ32 may be involved in development of autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus. We investigated frequency of the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism in SLE patients and healthy controls, and evaluated the relationship between the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism and susceptibility to SLE in Golestan Province, Iran.
          Methods: Whole blood samples were taken from 80 SLE patients admitted to Shahid Sayyad Shirazi hospital and 80 healthy controls (from a blood bank) in the Golestan Province, in 2016. Baseline clinical and laboratorial characteristics were evaluated regarding the CCR5Δ32 genotypes. The CCR5Δ32 polymorphism was determined from genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction.
          Result: Genotype frequencies of both groups were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies of the CCR5 and the CCR5Δ32 alleles were 98.13% and 1.88% among the patients, and 98.75% and 1.25% among the controls, respectively. Homozygote CCR5Δ32 was not observed in the subjects. The frequency of heterozygous Δ32 was 3.8% and 2.5% among the SLE patients and controls, respectively (P-value>0.05). There was no significant association between the CCR5 status and clinical signs of SLE (P>0.05).
          Conclusion: Our data suggest that the CCR5Δ32 polymorphism has no correlation with SLE in our study population. In addition, the frequency of the Δ32 polymorphism in SLE patients and controls does not follow the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
          Keywords: CCR5, Homozygote CCR5Δ32, Heterozygote CCR5Δ32, CCR5Δ32 allele, SLE.