title: The Amount of Phosphorus in the Blood of Heroin Abusers Compared to that of Healthy Subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the current retrospective study was to assess any difference in terms of serum phosphate (P) between heroin addicts and healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2011 and 2012, under the authority of the Greek Organization Against Drugs (OKANA), 30 regular heroin addicts, 22 males and 8 females (Group A) participated at the study. Between 2010 and 2011, 30 healthy individuals, 22 males and 8 females (Group B), presented on an outpatient basis for either fatigue or common flu symptoms without fever at the 424 Military Hospital of Thessaloniki.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference between group A and B, in terms of either age (p = 0.454, Mann-Whitney test) or male/female ratio (p = 0.573, Chi2 test), suggesting a homogeneity for the population of individuals participating in the study. The mean values of serum-P in group A and B were 3.47 ± 0.65 and 3.35 ± 0.58, respectively (p = 0.45, Mann Whitney test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The absence of statistical difference of serum-P between heroin addicts and healthy subjects as shown in our results should be confirmed in further studies.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papaloucas
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papaloucas
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouloulias
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neanidis
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gompaki-Pistevou
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mystakidou
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papageorgiou
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zygogianni
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gennimata
authors.forename: Aristofanis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papaloucas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D055030:Drug Users; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010758:Phosphorus