Induction of antibodies to methadone during methadone maintenance treatment of heroin addicts and its possible clinical implications.
By means of two different types of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques, antibodies to methadone were detected in blood plasma of heroin addicts on methadone maintenance treatment. In 11-15% of cases immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies were detected, while IgG antibodies were observed in 33-40%. At least two types of antibodies to methadone were induced-antibodies with high affinity to methadone and low-affinity antibodies more specific for morphine than for methadone. The methadone antibody-positive group of patients had a significantly higher plasma methadone concentration--440 ng/ml, than the antibody-negative group--250 ng/ml (P < 0.005) despite almost the same mean therapeutic doses of methadone. Of patients with all types of antibodies to methadone 52% were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, whereas in the group without antibodies, HIV-positive reactions were observed in 10.5% only (P < 0.002). Alternatively, 87.5% of HIV-positive patients had antibodies to methadone, a fact which should be taken into consideration during methadone dose adjustment.
Gamaleya
N
N
Laboratory of Immunochemistry, Scientific Research Institute of Addiction, Moscow, GSP, Russian Federation.
Dmitrieva
I
I
Borg
S
S
Ericcson
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000906:Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008691:Methadone