title: Neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to opioid receptor-antagonist during heroin detoxification: relationship with personality traits.
abstract: The present study investigated clinical, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine consequences of rapid opioid detoxification (ROD) in heroin-dependent individuals, affected, or not, by comorbid antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Thirty-two patients underwent ROD and subsequent treatment with daily naltrexone: 3 days detoxification procedures were performed utilizing clonidine, baclofen, oxazepam and ketoprofene, without anaesthesia. Withdrawal symptoms, mood changes, cardiovascular indexes (heart rate, blood pressure), norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) were evaluated during naloxone-naltrexone administration on the second day of detoxification treatment. The patients were divided into two groups following DSM-IV criteria for ASPD. Group A comprised 14 ASPD patients and group B comprised 18 patients without ASPD. Slight and transient withdrawal symptoms and mood changes were demonstrated on the second day in the whole sample of patients, in association with a significant, but moderate, elevation of heart rate, blood pressure, NE (two-fold), EPI (five-fold), ACTH (two-fold) and CORT (two-fold) plasma levels, in response to opioid receptor-antagonist administration. When evaluated separately in ASPD (group A) and non-ASPD patients (group B), significantly higher withdrawal symptoms and mood changes, heart rate, blood pressure, NE, ACTH and cortisol levels were observed in ASPD subjects. By contrast, no differences were found in EPI responses to naloxone-naltrexone administration between group A and B patients. The significant differences demonstrated in clinical and neuroendocrine responses to opioid receptor-antagonist administration, in relation to personality traits, could be due to reduced alpha-adrenergic receptor sensitivity, which was previously reported in ASPD, with a possible impairment of clonidine action. Our study suggests that a detailed diagnostic assessment before detoxification procedure may help to predict treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Addiction Research Center of Parma, Via Spalato 2, 43100 Parma, Italy. ggerra@ausl.pr.it
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerra
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceresini
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaimovic
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bussandri
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Raggi
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Molina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine