title: Serum biochemical parameters following heroin withdrawal: an exploratory study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term consumption of opioid compounds, even after withdrawal, affects serum biochemical parameters. Investigating these alterations is a new approach in substance abuse studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study investigated clinical laboratory results in men who are currently active, recently abstinent and non-heroin users. Participants (N = 240) of this matched cohort study included heroin dependent men referred for abstinence treatment, volunteer men who did not abuse opioids matched for age, sex, body mass index, and educational level (control group). The groups were further sub-divided for analysis into (a) continuous heroin users for more than 2 years (N = 70), the dependent group; (b) heroin abusers with 1 month abstinence period (N = 70), identified as ex-heroin dependents; and (c) a matched, non-dependent control group (N = 100). All participants were tested for fasting blood sugar (FBS), sodium, potassium, calcium, uric acid (UA), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, total cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), total protein, fibrinogen, and prothrombin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group, ex-heroin dependents showed decreased FBS and significantly higher sodium, creatinine, and cholesterol levels. Compared to the heroin dependent group, the ex-heroin dependents showed significant differences in FBS, sodium, calcium, creatinine, UA, and thrombin time. No significant differences were noted between ex-heroin dependents and controls in potassium, calcium, UA, BUN, TGs, total protein, and thrombin time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate altered laboratory markers in long-term heroin dependents as well as ex-heroin dependents and suggest the need for further identification, population distribution, and etiological understanding of these biomarkers in individuals who have abused heroin.
authors: Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Kouros
authors: K
authors: Divsalar
authors: Manzumeh Shamsi
authors: MS
authors: Meymandi
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Afarinesh
authors: Mahdi Mahmoudi
authors: MM
authors: Zarandi
authors: Tahereh
authors: T
authors: Haghpanah
authors: Fariborz
authors: F
authors: Keyhanfar
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Mahmoodi
authors: Stefan P
authors: SP
authors: Kruszewski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011506:Proteins; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D011516:Prothrombin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium