PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses

2014-01-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jenny Eriksen
jenny.eriksen@bmc.org
617-638-6841
Boston University Medical Center
Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses (Boston) – Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have identified that injection frequency and taking anti-retroviral therapy for HIV are risk factors for nonfatal drug overdoses among Russians who are HIV positive and inject drugs. Alexander Walley, MD, MSc, an attending physician in general internal medicine at BMC and an assistant professor of medicine at BUSM, is the study's lead author.

Published in the journal AIDS Care, the study was done in collaboration with the Pavlov State Medical University in Russia.

"Non-fatal overdose among HIV-infected Russians who inject drugs is common, however our study is the first to identify risk factors associated with those cases," said Walley.

The researchers analyzed baseline data of 294 participants with 30-day injection drug use who were taking part in an HIV secondary prevention trial for individuals who self-reported "heavy" alcohol use and risky sexual behavior in the past six months.

More than three quarters of the participants, 76 percent, reported a lifetime history of a non-fatal overdose while 16 percent reported a non-fatal overdose in the previous three months. The data showed that the previous month's injection history and anti-retroviral therapy at the time the participants were interviewed were associated with a non-fatal overdose within the previous three months.

"Our study data demonstrates that these individuals could benefit from overdose prevention efforts," added Walley.

###

This study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism under grant award numbers R01-AA016059, U24AA020778, U24AA020779, and K24AA015674 (Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Samet).

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Quasars illuminate swiftly swirling clouds around galaxies

2014-01-09
Quasars illuminate swiftly swirling clouds around galaxies CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study of light from quasars has provided astronomers with illuminating insights into the swirling clouds of gas that form stars and galaxies, proving that the clouds ...

Fossil pigments reveal the colors of ancient sea monsters

2014-01-09
Fossil pigments reveal the colors of ancient sea monsters Unique finds of original pigment in fossilised skin from three multi-million-year old marine reptiles attract considerable attention from the scientific community. The pigment reveals that these animals were, ...

Radiocarbon dating suggests white sharks can live 70 years and longer

2014-01-09
Radiocarbon dating suggests white sharks can live 70 years and longer Adult white sharks, also known as great whites, may live far longer than previously thought, according to a new study that used radiocarbon dating to determine age estimates ...

Does ObamaCare cause psychological distress among US adults?

2014-01-09
Does ObamaCare cause psychological distress among US adults? The Affordable Care Act, dubbed 'ObamaCare', has proven to be one of the most controversial legislative acts of the Obama presidency. New research, published in Stress & Health explores the psychological relationship ...

Mass. General research could expand availability of hand, face transplants

2014-01-09
Mass. General research could expand availability of hand, face transplants Immune tolerance to grafts of muscle, bone and skin could free recipients from lifelong immunosuppression Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have made an important ...

Vikings and superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories

2014-01-08
Vikings and superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories The Icelandic sagas of the Norse people are thousand-year-old chronicles of brave deeds and timeless romances, but how true to Viking life were they? Writing in Significance, Pádraig ...

Increased risk of prostate cancer in African-American men; implications for PSA screening

2014-01-08
Increased risk of prostate cancer in African-American men; implications for PSA screening New Rochelle, NY, January 7, 2014—African American men have an increased risk of prostate cancer and are two times more likely than Caucasian American ...

Geological Society of America's top journal, Geology, begins 2014 with 10 new articles

2014-01-08
Geological Society of America's top journal, Geology, begins 2014 with 10 new articles Articles posted online Jan. 6, 2014 Boulder, Colo., USA – New Geology postings extend the understanding of seawater chemistry by ~300 million years; determine erosion rates for exposure ...

Stem cells used to model disease that causes abnormal bone growth

2014-01-08
Stem cells used to model disease that causes abnormal bone growth UCSF-led study sheds light on muscle-to-bone transformation Researchers have developed a new way to study bone disorders and bone growth, using stem cells from patients afflicted ...

Color-coded cells reveal patchwork patterns of X chromosome silencing in female brains

2014-01-08
Color-coded cells reveal patchwork patterns of X chromosome silencing in female brains Producing brightly speckled red and green snapshots of many different tissues, Johns Hopkins researchers have color-coded cells in female mice to display which of their two X chromosomes ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Children fast from clear liquids much longer before surgery than guidelines recommend, large study shows

Food insecurity, loneliness can increase the risk of developing chronic pain after surgery

Cesarean delivery linked to higher risk of pain and sleep problems after childbirth

New global burden of disease study: Mortality declines, youth deaths rise, widening health inequities

Chemobiological platform enables renewable conversion of sugars into core aromatic hydrocarbons of petroleum

Individualized perioperative blood pressure management in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery

Proactive vs reactive treatment of hypotension during surgery

Different types of depression linked to different cardiometabolic diseases

Ketogenic diet may protect against stress experienced in the womb

Adults 65 years and older not immune to the opioid epidemic, new study finds

Artificial intelligence emerging as powerful patient safety tool in pediatric anesthesia

Mother’s ZIP code, lack of access to prenatal care can negatively impact baby’s health at birth, new studies show

American Society of Anesthesiologists honors John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with Distinguished Service Award

A centimeter-scale quadruped piezoelectric robot with high integration and strong robustness

Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander

Research gives insight into effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm

Biochar and plants join forces to clean up polluted soils and boost ecosystem recovery

Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies

ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.

Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns

Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns

Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring

Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions

MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries

Living near toxic sites linked to aggressive breast cancer

New discovery could open door to male birth control

Wirth elected Fellow of American Physical Society

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: October 10, 2025

Destined to melt

Attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home

[Press-News.org] Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses