title: Inflammatory response in heroin addicts undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.
abstract: Opioid addiction influences many physiological functions including reactions of the immune system. The objective of this study was to investigate the immune system function in heroin addicted patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) compared to healthy controls. We tested the cytokine production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α from a group of heroin addicts (n=34) and healthy controls (n=20). The results show that production of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly higher in the group of methadone-maintained patients than in the healthy control group. Plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels were significantly correlated with the dairy methadone dosage administered, and the IL-1β level was significantly correlated with the duration of methadone maintenance treatment. These findings suggest that methadone maintenance treatment influences the immune system functions of opioid-dependent patients and may also induce long-term systemic inflammation.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan County, Taiwan; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Electronic address: xaviorchan@gmail.com.
authors: Yuan-Yu
authors: YY
authors: Chan
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Electronic address: snyang@aftygh.gov.tw.
authors: Szu-Nian
authors: SN
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Electronic address: chyangjyhlin@aftygh.gov.tw.
authors: Jyh-Chyang
authors: JC
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan County, Taiwan. Electronic address: junn9liang@yahoo.com.tw.
authors: Junn-Liang
authors: JL
authors: Chang
authors: Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: jglin@mail.cmu.edu.tw.
authors: Jaung-Geng
authors: JG
authors: Lin
authors: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung County, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung County, Taiwan. Electronic address: drwanyu@gmail.com.
authors: Wan-Yu
authors: WY
authors: Lo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000276:immunology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D003932:Heroin; D008691:Methadone
keywords: Cytokine; Inflammatory; Methadone