scholarly journals Comparing the Facial Emotion Recognition in Opioid Antecedent Subjects and Mixed Opioid-methamphetamine Antecedent Subjects under Methadone Maintenance Therapy with Control Group-A Retrospective Cohort Study

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamaledin Alaedini ◽  
Maryam Farahmandfar ◽  
Maryam Sefidgarnia ◽  
Parisa Islami Parkoohi ◽  
Sepideh --- Jafari
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Methadone Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Facial Emotion ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Methamphetamine Use ◽  
History Of ◽  
Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Background: Facial emotion recognition (FER) is an important social skill. Some studies have determined the capability of FER in substance abusers, but their results are contradictory. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate FER ability in opioid antecedent subjects and mixed opioid-methamphetamine antecedent subjects under methadone maintenance therapy compared to a control group. Methods: Following a retrospective cohort design, 71 methadone-maintained subjects (MMS) (40 individuals with a history of only opioid use disorder and 31 patients with a history of both opioid and methamphetamine use disorder) and 40 healthy participants filled the Persian version of Ackman and Friesen facial emotion experiment, which were matched based on age, education, and gender. Demographic and substance use characteristics were evaluated. Both groups were similar concerning the duration of the opioid use disorder, methadone maintenance treatment, and currently prescribed methadone dose. Data were analyzed using the chi-square, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Welch test. Statistical significance was considered when P-value < 0.05. Results: Total FER scores were significantly lower in MMS compared to the control group. Concerning the subgroups, recognition of sadness was impaired in patients with a history of opioid use disorder (with and without a history of methamphetamine use disorder), while in recognition of anger and wonder, patients with both opioid and methamphetamine use disorder history had a significantly lower performance. There was no other significant difference between the groups. Conclusions: The findings suggest that social cognition deficit should be considered in strategies related to the addiction (both treatment and rehabilitation).

scholarly journals Decreased Level of Blood MicroRNA-133b in Men with Opioid Use Disorder on Methadone Maintenance Therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1105
Author(s):  
Hsu ◽  
Huang ◽  
Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Animal Studies ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Methadone Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Ribonucleic Acids ◽  
Methadone Dosage ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Serum Micrornas

Although previous animal studies have indicated that certain micro ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) play a part in the pathway of opioid addiction, whether such findings extend to human models is yet unknown. This study aims to investigate the important microRNA expressions in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) compared to healthy controls and analyze the correlation between microRNAs and opioid characteristics among the patients. We recruited 50 patients and 25 controls, and both groups were matched regarding gender, age, and body mass index. Serum microRNAs (miR-133b, miR-23b, miR-190, miR-206, miR-210, and miR-21) were measured. The age of OUD onset, duration of MMT participation, and recent daily methadone dosage were considered the opioid characteristics. We adopted the t-test to compare the difference between patients and controls and Pearson's correlation to evaluate the association between microRNAs and opioid profiles. Only the level of miR-133b in OUD patients on MMT was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. We did not detect differences of any other microRNA expressions between the two groups. Furthermore, we found no evidence to support the association between microRNAs and opioid characteristics. This study indicates that miR-133b values may be decreased in OUD patients on MMT.

scholarly journals Use of methamphetamine and alcohol among people with opioid use disorder and HIV in Vietnam: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Edsall ◽  
Kim A. Hoffman ◽  
Dinh Thanh Thuy ◽  
Pham Phuong Mai ◽  
Nguyen Thu Hang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Heroin Use ◽  
Methamphetamine Use ◽  
Polysubstance Use ◽  
History Of

Abstract Background Heroin use continues to drive HIV transmission in Vietnam, but methamphetamine and alcohol use are growing rapidly and, as in other countries, polysubstance use is widespread. The objective of this study was to understand the interplay between heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol use among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and HIV in Vietnam. Methods We conducted 44 in-depth, face-to-face qualitative interviews with people with OUD and HIV who participated in the BRAVO trial of buprenorphine versus methadone in five Vietnam HIV clinics. Interviews probed participants’ experiences of heroin, methamphetamine, and alcohol use and their interplay with HIV/OUD treatment. Interviews were professionally transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Results Of 44 participants interviewed 42 were male, on average 38.8 years of age, with 30 reporting a history of methamphetamine use and 33 reporting a history of alcohol use. Several themes emerged: 1) Methamphetamine and alcohol were perceived to have lower addiction potential than heroin 2) Social settings were key facilitators of alcohol and methamphetamine use 3) Some participants, but not all, used methamphetamine to help quit heroin 4) Consuming alcohol blunted the effects of heroin, while paradoxically serving as a catalyst for heroin use 5) Use of methamphetamine was perceived by many participants to be incompatible with treatment for HIV. Conclusions Participant experiences reflected a significant impact of polysubstance use on treatment of HIV and OUD. Patterns of polysubstance use are subject to common preconceptions of alcohol and methamphetamine as having a low addictive potential, and these substances are deeply enmeshed in the social life of many people with OUD in Vietnam. Interventions to address complex social norms and potential harms of polysubstance use are urgently needed as the population of people receiving medication for OUD (MOUD) increases in Vietnam and globally. Trial registration BRAVO - NCT01936857, September 2013.

scholarly journals Laxatives and Erectile Dysfunction Medications to Treat Side Effects of Opioid Agonist and Methadone Maintenance Therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara D. Khangura ◽  
Andrea Ryce
Keyword(s):  
Erectile Dysfunction ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Treatment Adherence ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Methadone Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Agonist ◽  
Medical Interventions

Opioid agonist and methadone maintenance therapies are essential medical interventions for effectively managing opioid use disorder. However, side effects, including constipation and erectile dysfunction can compromise treatment adherence and increase the risk of relapse. No studies or guidelines describing the clinical effectiveness or recommendations for the use of laxatives or erectile dysfunction medications in the treatment of constipation or erectile dysfunction in patients undergoing OAT or MMT were identified. Research is needed to understand the clinical effectiveness and inform guidance concerning the treatment of constipation with laxatives and the use of medications indicated for erectile dysfunction.

scholarly journals Harm Reduction Service Utilization Among People Who Inject Drugs in Tajikistan: Prevalence and Precipitating Factors

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary M. Tate ◽  
Daniel J. Bromberg ◽  
Kamiar Alaei ◽  
Saifuddin Karimov ◽  
Dilshod Saidi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
People Who Inject Drugs ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Methadone Maintenance Therapy ◽  
People Who Use Drugs ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Needle And Syringe Programs

Abstract Tajikistan is in a unique geopolitical location along the global heroin trade route, exacerbating its own opioid use disorder and HIV epidemics. With one of the highest rates of opioid use disorder in the world, and 20,000-30,000 people who inject drugs in the country, Tajikistan’s government and international actors have provided harm reduction measures for people who use drugs, like narcology centers, needle and syringe programs, and methadone maintenance therapy. No implementation science studies have been conducted in Tajikistan and the current implementation gaps in service uptake are unknown. The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of harm reduction service uptake among people who use drugs in Tajikistan, and determine which factors are associated with service uptake. Methods This paper uses data from the National AIDS Registry, subset to patients who use drugs (n=11,029) and cross-sectional data from a bio-behavioral survey conducted in 2017 (n=2,390). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations between study variables and probably of uptake of narcology center registration, uptake of needle and syringe programs, and registration into methadone maintenance therapy. Results Fewer than half of all people who inject drugs (42.4%) were registered with the narcology center , most people who inject drugs (88.6%) reported always having access to clean syringes, and only 5.3% of PWID had ever engaged in methadone treatment in Tajikistan. There were ethnic differences in service uptake – with ethnic Russians and Uzbeks less likely to use services than ethnic Tajiks. Men who have sex with men and people living with HIV were also more likely to access services than heterosexual or seronegative individuals. Conclusion Narcology center registration and clean needle coverage are high in Tajikistan. Methadone maintenance therapy uptake, however, is low, like in other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. NGO and government initiatives that target risk groups (like LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV) seem to have been somewhat effective at recruiting their clientele into services. Future research might focus on the “positive deviancy” of these subgroups of people who use drugs to learn how to increase service uptake generally.

scholarly journals Care-engaged individuals with polysubstance use in Northeastern US are undertreated for methamphetamine use disorder: a retrospective cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mimi Yen Li ◽  
George A. Alba ◽  
Julian Mitton ◽  
Benjamin Bearnot
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Contingency Management ◽  
Substance Use Treatment ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Stimulant Use ◽  
Methamphetamine Use ◽  
Polysubstance Use ◽  
Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Abstract Background Stimulant use has increased across the US, with concomitant opioid and methamphetamine use doubling between 2011 and 2017. Shifting patterns of polysubstance use have led to rising psychostimulant-involved deaths. While it is known that individuals who use methamphetamine require greater access to treatment, there is still little known about methamphetamine use and treatment among individuals who are already engaged in outpatient substance use treatment. Objectives To characterize care-engaged individuals who use methamphetamine to guide harm reduction and treatment strategies. Methods Retrospective cohort study of individuals at a large academic medical center in Massachusetts with ≥ 2 positive methamphetamine oral fluid toxicology tests between August 2019 and January 2020. We performed descriptive analysis of sociodemographic, medical, and drug use characteristics and a comparative analysis of injection methamphetamine use versus other routes of use. Results Included were 71 individuals [56 male (80%), 66 non-Hispanic white (94%), median age 36 (IQR 30–42)]. Nearly all had opioid (94%) and stimulant use disorder (92%). Most had (93%) or were (83%) being treated with medications for opioid use disorder, but few received pharmacologic treatment for methamphetamine use disorder (24%). None received contingency management treatment. People who inject methamphetamine (68%) were more likely to have a history of overdose (91% vs. 70%; p = 0.02), have HCV (94% vs. 52%; p < 0.01), use fentanyl (93% vs. 65%; p = 0.02), and engage in sex work (19% vs. 0%; p = 0.03) compared to those who used via other routes. Both groups had prevalent homelessness (88% vs. 73%; p = 0.15), incarceration (81% vs. 64%; p = 0.11), depression (94% vs. 87%; p = 0.34), and bacteremia (27% vs. 22%; p = 0.63). Conclusions Individuals in our study had high prevalence of polysubstance use, particularly concomitant methamphetamine and opioid use. Individuals who were well connected to substance use treatment for their opioid use were still likely to be undertreated for their methamphetamine use disorder and would benefit from greater access to contingency management treatment, harm reduction resources, and resources to address adverse social determinants of health.

scholarly journals Predicting the Risk of Opioid Use Disorder Based on Early Maladaptive Schemas

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-209
Author(s):  
Somayeh Zamirinejad ◽  
Seyed Kaveh Hojjat ◽  
Alireza Moslem ◽  
Vahideh MoghaddamHosseini ◽  
Arash Akaberi
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Methadone Maintenance ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Early Maladaptive Schemas ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Maladaptive Schemas ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Opioid Users

Substance use is a globally devastating social problem. Early maladaptive schemas (EMSs) are inefficient mechanisms leading directly or indirectly to psychological distress. The current study aimed to assess the role of EMSs in predicting opioid use disorder. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 in Bojnurd at northeast of Iran on 60 male opioid users who received Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) and 60 control males. The opioid users were selected randomly from MMT clinics and control subjects were selected and matched with opioid users using demographic variables. The subjects completed the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). Except for SS (self-sacrifice), EG (entitlement/grandiosity), US (unrelenting standards), and FA (Failure to Achieve), the mean of other maladaptive schemas in the opioid user group were significantly higher than that of the control group, adjusted for multiple comparisons. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated significant differences in maladaptive schemas between the two groups. Logistic regression identified that Emotional Deprivation, Mistrust/Abuse, and Unrelenting Standards can predict opioid use. As a result, the risk of opioid-related disorders in people with higher YSQ-SF scores in these schemas is higher. The findings conclude that the existence of underlying EMS may constitute a vulnerability factor for developing opioid use disorders later on in life. Provided the vast amount of scientific literature in evidence-based treatments focusing on EMSs, maladaptive schemas and related core beliefs can be detected and treated in adolescence to prevent the enactment of the schema and psychological distress likely to induce opioid use.

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