[The effect of discontinuing intravenous opiate injections and methadone treatment on the status of the immune system in narcotic abusers with HIV].
The effect of discontinuation of injecting drug use and administration of methadone was investigated in 43 HIV-infected drug abusers. In 20 (46.5%) out to them an improvement in the immune status as measured by CD4+ lymphocyte percentage and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio was observed, while remaining 23 persons (53.5%) showed stable or decreasing values of both parameters. In the control group which consisted of 23 persons who continued injecting drug use, only 3 (13%) out of the showed increase in the CD4+ lymphocyte percentage and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio. It seems that discontinuation of injecting drug use may improve the function of immune system in HIV-infected drug addicts and could be an important factor in the approach for treatment of these patients.
Radkowski
M
M
Zakładu Immunopatologii Instytutu Chorób Zakaźnych i Pasozytniczych AM w Warszawie.
Werezyńska
T
T
Kopicz-Kamińska
E
E
Kuligowski
S
S
Slusarczyk
J
J
D000328:Adult; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone