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The aim of this study is to analyze the use of healthcare resources by alcoholic patients. A prospective study of 176 patients (147 males, 29 females; mean age 42.9 years) diagnosed as alcohol dependent, according to criteria DSM-IV, has been carried out over one year (June 2002 to June 2003) in three centers of treatment for alcoholics in Castilla y León (Spain). Of the 176 patients, 67% had previously requested treatment for their alcoholism in other centers, mainly in mental-health (37.5%), emergency (34.1%), and primary care (31.8%). On average, they had requested treatment 2.27 times, the women more frequently than the men. The current study shows that alcohol-dependent patients frequently use healthcare services during the history of their dependence to treat their illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: Susceptibility to psoriasis has been associated with the HLA-C*0602 allele, although it may be affected by other polymorphisms., Materials & Methods: We genotyped 142 patients and 160 healthy volunteers to evaluate the possible relationship between susceptibility to psoriasis and the HLA-C*0602 allele and polymorphisms in the TNF, IL12B, and IL23R genes., Results: The frequency of the wild-type TNF-238, TNF-308, and TNF-1031 genotypes was greater in patients with psoriasis than in healthy volunteers, although that of the mutant TNF-857 genotype was higher. The only difference between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis was TNF-857. The frequency of the HLAC*0602 allele was higher in psoriatic patients than in healthy volunteers. No differences were observed for IL12B and IL23R. Multivariate logistic regression analysis only confirmed these associations for TNF-238, TNF-857, and HLA-C*0602., Conclusion: Our results support an association between susceptibility to psoriasis and TNF polymorphisms in the Spanish population.

Objective: To assess fitness to drive among drivers with treated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome., Methods: A total of 5234 drivers who attended two Spanish Medical Driver Test Centers for assessment of their fitness to drive prior to renewing or issuing their driving license were included in the study. Information regarding sociodemographic aspects, patterns of driving, medical condition, medication use, and patterns of alcohol consumption was recorded., Results: Eleven out of 5234 drivers (0.2%) suffered from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, all of them being treated with continuous positive airway pressure, and they were found fit to drive with restrictions., Conclusions: A lower than expected prevalence of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was found among drivers undergoing fitness to drive assessment. Suffering from obstructive sleep apnea syndrome does not prevent driving as long as the patient is undergoing adequately controlled treatment.

Introduction: Drivers with a neurological pathology have a greater risk of involvement in traffic accidents than healthy drivers., Aim: To evaluate the fitness to drive of drivers with a neurological or neuromuscular pathology., Subjects and Methods: 5,234 drivers attending two Medical Driver Test Centres with the aim of carrying out a medical-psychological examination to obtain or renew their driving license were included in the study. Information was obtained concerning sociodemographic aspects, driving habits, the referred pathology and consumption of medicaments and alcohol., Results: 1.4% of the drivers presented a neuromuscular or neurological pathology. The most frequent were muscular disorders of a neurological origin (32.5%), a history of cerebrovascular accidents (27%) and epilepsy (24.3%). 21.6% of the drivers were considered 'fit', 77.1% were 'fit with restrictions', and only 1.3% were considered 'unfit' to drive., Conclusions: The great majority of drivers (98.7%) with a neurological pathology are considered 'fit' or 'fit with restrictions' to drive. Even though only a small percentage of divers with neurological pathologies are considered 'unfit' to drive, given their increased risk of involvement in traffic accidents, an early, individual evaluation of these patients' fitness to drive, taking into account the associated pathology, prescribed medication, consumption of alcohol and age, would seem necessary.

It is well known that driving under the influence of alcohol increases the risk of traffic accidents. Alcohol-dependent patients are responsible for two-thirds of motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol. Studies carried out on the general population have shown a relation between alcohol dependence and traffic accidents. The aim of the study is to analyse the effect on traffic accidents of treatment of patients with alcohol-related problems. To do so, the prevalence of traffic problems in a sample of patients with a diagnosed dependence on alcohol was assessed for three periods: during their lifetime, in the year preceding the start of treatment and over the year of treatment. A prospective study was carried out of 176 patients (147 males, 29 females; mean age 42.9 years) diagnosed as alcohol dependent according to the DSM-IV criteria in three alcoholic treatment centres in Castilla y León, Spain. 36.9% of the alcohol-dependent patients had had some kind of traffic problem during their life and 8.5% in the year prior to starting treatment. The most frequent problem was positive breath tests, followed by accidents with damage to the vehicle. Sixty-nine of the 176 patients were still receiving treatment after a year. The prevalence of traffic problems among those patients who followed treatment for 1 year (4.3%) was lower than in the year before treatment (15.9%). The study showed that the treatment is also effective in reducing traffic problems.