title: Sexual dysfunction improved in heroin-dependent men after methadone maintenance treatment in Tianjin, China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is correlated with sexual dysfunction in heroin-dependent men and to determine the prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction among men on MMT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included a retrospective survey and a cross-sectional survey which contained interviews of 293 men who are currently engaged in MMT. The results of the two surveys were compared. For a subset of 43 participants, radioimmunoassay was additionally conducted using retrospective and prospective blood samples to test the levels of plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone. Other study evaluations were the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), and Self-rating Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sexual dysfunction in all five IIEF-15 domains (erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, and overall satisfaction) was strongly associated with long-term use of heroin. A decrease in the severity of sexual dysfunction was associated with MMT initiation. Erectile dysfunction, lack of sexual desire, inability to orgasm, and lack of intercourse satisfaction were significantly correlated with increasing age of the participants. Methadone dose and duration of methadone treatment were not found to be associated with sexual dysfunction. The level of plasma testosterone significantly declined during methadone treatment, but results from multivariate analysis indicated low levels of testosterone were not the main cause of sexual dysfunction. No correlation between reported depression status and sexual function was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While high levels of sexual dysfunction were reported by heroin-dependent men in our study before and after MMT initiation, MMT appears to be correlated with improved sexual function in the population of the study.
authors: School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
authors: Minying
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
authors: Huifang
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Cynthia X
authors: CX
authors: Shi
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Jennifer M
authors: JM
authors: McGoogan
authors: Ankang Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Baohua
authors: B
authors: Zhang
authors: Public Security Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Linglong
authors: L
authors: Zhao
authors: Public Security Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors: Mianzhi
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Keming
authors: K
authors: Rou
authors: National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
authors: Zunyou
authors: Z
authors: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone