title: [Effect of methadone or naltrexone on the course of transaminases in parenteral drug users with hepatitis C virus infection].
abstract: A prospective study was conducted on the evolution of serum transaminases in 116 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), parenteral drug abusers, included for 6 months in treatment programs with methadone, naltrexone or "drug free" regimen. Treatment with methadone or naltrexone did not result in a transaminase increase in these patients. In contrast, patients included in the drug-free program appear to have a higher increase in serum transaminase levels than those treated with methadone or naltrexone (146.1 +/- 122.29 vs 91.88 +/- 81.96 and 86.99 +/- 64.26 Ul/ml, respectively). Such an increase originated mainly from patients who anytime during follow-up had a liver necrosis outbreak in the acute hepatitis range, and is offset if, instead of a given transaminase value, we consider a simplified liver necrosis index (1.28 +/- 0.74 vs 0.95 +/- 0.72 and 1.01 +/- 0.65, respectively; p > 0.05). HIV infected patients have serum transaminase values similar to those in HIV-negative patients (80.61 +/- 58.81 vs 113.63 +/- 99.59, respectively; p > 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Hospital Santa Cruz de Liencres,Servico de Medicina Interna, Cantabria.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lozano Polo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez Mora
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martínez Pérez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santamaría Gutiérrez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vada Sánchez
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vallejo Correas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009336:Necrosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009271:Naltrexone; D000637:Transaminases; D008691:Methadone