BACKGROUND: Examination of the health status of patients abusing opiates can be substantiated by their high morbidity. The aim of the work was to describe the actual health status and the extent and seriousness of the affliction before the substitution therapy with opioid receptors agonist--methadone. METHODS AND RESULTS: The group of drug abusers consisted of 101 persons (average age was 28.5 years, within the range of 20 to 47 years, 77 men and 24 women). Among the pathological findings, values of the levels of hepatic enzymes ALT, AST (35 and 31%), GMT (9%), low haemoglobin levels (24%) and elevated values of IgM (38%) and CRP (25%) belonged to the most frequent ones. Because of the simultaneously positive tests for hepatitis (C and B, 70% and 61%), the alteration is fully obvious. Low testosterone levels in males (63%) indicate the dysfunction of the hypothalamus-hypophysis-gonadas axis. Increased values of thyroxin (14%), P (20%) and atherogenity index (19%) remain unexplained. Several other laboratory-biochemical parameters remained within the physiological range. Imaging methods revealed hepatomegaly in 28% and splenomegaly in 27%, echotexture indicating steatosis was found in 15% of studied persons. CONCLUSIONS: In chronic drug abusers before the onset of the substitution therapy, it is possible to expect frequent alterations, namely that of hepatic functions, positive test for hepatitis B and C, alteration of immunoglobulines level and testosterone deficits (in males).

• MeSH
• biochemická analýza krve MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• krevní obraz MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• methadon terapeutické užití   MeSH
• následné studie MeSH
• poruchy spojené s užíváním opiátů krev   komplikace   rehabilitace   MeSH
• ukazatele zdravotního stavu * MeSH
• virová hepatitida u lidí komplikace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• methadon MeSH

BACKGROUND: Substitution treatment of drug addicts with methadone has been used in many countries for more than 35 years. In our country it was started in 1997. The objective was above all to evaluate the nutritional status and some biochemical parameters before and after 18 months of methadone substitution. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 14 patients were examined (9 men, 5 women), mean age 35 years, range 26-44 years, highly dependent on opiates: heroin, codeine and its derivatives). The examination was made before onset of treatment and after 18 months of treatment. The subjective feeling of all patients improved, they felt more active and efficient. The Kehlet score declined from 5.8 +/- 1.9 to 3.8 +/- 1.5. The body weight increased from 69.3 +/- 14.8 to 78.6 +/- 19.7 kg. BMI from 22.8 +/- 3.2 to 25.5 +/- 5.0 (kg/m2), the skinfold above the triceps muscle from 11.9 to 16.6 mm, prealbumin from 0.17 +/- 0.05 to 0.22 +/- 0.66 g/l). The handgrip strength did not increase, no significant changes were recorded in albumin and transferrin levels. The raised serum aminotransferase levels did not change (due to chronic hepatitis). CONCLUSIONS: Substitution treatment of drug addicts with methadone leads not only to improvement of the subjective state but also to objective signs of a better nutritional status.

• MeSH
• antropometrie MeSH
• biochemická analýza krve MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hmotnostní přírůstek MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• methadon terapeutické užití   MeSH
• nutriční stav * MeSH
• poruchy spojené s užíváním opiátů krev   rehabilitace   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• anglický abstrakt MeSH
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• methadon MeSH

A fatal opiates overdose, where ethylmorphine, hydrocodone, dihydrocodeine and codeine were consumed concomitantly, is reported. This case report may contribute to data on fatal blood concentrations of drugs with rare incidence. The relative retention times in capillary gas chromatography and full mass spectra of various opiates in their silylated forms, detected together in one sample, may serve as a helpful analytical reference for clinical and forensic toxicologists.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ethylmorfin krev   otrava   MeSH
• fatální výsledek MeSH
• hydrokodon krev   otrava   MeSH
• kodein analogy a deriváty   krev   otrava   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• plynová chromatografie s hmotnostně spektrometrickou detekcí MeSH
• poruchy spojené s užíváním opiátů krev   MeSH
• předávkování léky MeSH
• toxikologie metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH
• Názvy látek
• dihydrocodeine MeSH Prohlížeč
• ethylmorfin MeSH
• hydrokodon MeSH
• kodein MeSH