title: Methadone induces testosterone suppression in patients with opioid addiction.
abstract: Sex hormones may have a role in the pathophysiology of substance use disorders, as demonstrated by the association between testosterone and addictive behaviour in opioid dependence. Although opioid use has been found to suppress testosterone levels in men and women, the extent of this effect and how it relates to methadone treatment for opioid dependence is unclear. The present multi-centre cross-sectional study consecutively recruited 231 patients with opioid dependence from methadone clinics across Ontario, Canada between June and December of 2011. We obtained demographic details, substance use, psychiatric history, and blood and urine samples from enrolled subjects. The control group included 783 non-opioid using adults recruited from a primary care setting in Ontario, Canada. Average testosterone level in men receiving methadone treatment was significantly lower than controls. No effect of opioids including methadone on testosterone level in women was found and testosterone did not fluctuate significantly between menstrual cycle phases. In methadone patients, testosterone level was significantly associated with methadone dose in men only. We recommend that testosterone levels be checked in men prior and during methadone and other opioid therapy, in order to detect and treat testosterone deficiency associated with opioids and lead to successful methadone treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: 1] MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Population Genomics Program, Chanchlani Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bawor
authors.affiliation: 1] Population Genomics Program, Chanchlani Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Health Research Methodology Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [3] Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Brittany B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: M Constantine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Samaan
authors.affiliation: Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plater
authors.affiliation: 1] Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Ontario, Canada [2] Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worster
authors.affiliation: Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varenbut
authors.affiliation: Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daiter
authors.affiliation: 1] Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Ontario, Canada [2] Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, ON.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.affiliation: Population Genomics Program, Chanchlani Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Dipika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON [3] Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anglin
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coote
authors.affiliation: 1] Population Genomics Program, Chanchlani Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pare
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Biostatistics Unit, Centre for Evaluation of Medicine, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lehana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thabane
authors.affiliation: 1] Population Genomics Program, Chanchlani Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [2] Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON [3] Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Samaan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008691:Methadone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone; D008691:Methadone