Ross Gerald H, Sternquist Marie C
Utah Meth Cops Project, c/o American Detoxification Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT 84152, USA.
Toxicol Ind Health. 2012 Sep;28(8):758-68. doi: 10.1177/0748233711425070. Epub 2011 Nov 16.
The medical literature reports health hazards for law enforcement personnel from repeated exposure to methamphetamine and related chemical compounds. Most effects appear transitory, but some Utah police officers with employment-related methamphetamine exposures developed chronic symptoms, some leading to disability. This report is of an uncontrolled retrospective medical chart evaluation of symptomatic officers treated with a sauna detoxification protocol designed to reduce the chronic symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Sixty-nine officers consecutively entering the Utah Meth Cops Project were assessed before and after a treatment program involving gradual exercise, comprehensive nutritional support and physical sauna therapy. Evaluations included pre- and post-treatment scores of the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in comparison with RAND population norms, pre- and post-treatment symptom score intensities, neurotoxicity scores, Mini-Mental Status Examination, presenting symptom frequencies and a structured evaluation of treatment program safety.
Statistically significant health improvements were seen in the SF-36 evaluations, symptom scores and neurotoxicity scores. The detoxification protocol was well tolerated, with a 92.8% completion rate.
This investigation strongly suggests that utilizing sauna and nutritional therapy may alleviate chronic symptoms appearing after chemical exposures associated with methamphetamine-related law enforcement activities. This report also has relevance to addressing the apparent ill effects of other complex chemical exposures. In view of the positive clinical outcomes in this group, broader investigation of this sauna-based treatment regimen appears warranted.
医学文献报道，执法人员反复接触甲基苯丙胺及相关化合物会对健康造成危害。大多数影响似乎是暂时的，但一些因工作接触甲基苯丙胺的犹他州警察出现了慢性症状，有些还导致了残疾。本报告是对采用桑拿排毒方案治疗的有症状警察进行的一项非对照回顾性医学图表评估，该方案旨在减轻慢性症状并提高生活质量。
对连续进入犹他州甲基苯丙胺警察项目的69名警察在接受一个包括逐步锻炼、全面营养支持和物理桑拿治疗的项目前后进行评估。评估包括治疗前后与兰德公司人群常模相比的兰德公司36项简短健康调查（SF - 36）得分、治疗前后症状评分强度、神经毒性评分、简易精神状态检查、出现的症状频率以及对治疗方案安全性的结构化评估。
在SF - 36评估、症状评分和神经毒性评分方面发现了具有统计学意义的健康改善。排毒方案耐受性良好，完成率为92.8%。
这项调查强烈表明，利用桑拿和营养疗法可能减轻与甲基苯丙胺相关执法活动的化学暴露后出现的慢性症状。本报告对于解决其他复杂化学暴露的明显不良影响也具有相关性。鉴于该组取得的积极临床结果，对这种基于桑拿的治疗方案进行更广泛的研究似乎是有必要的。
