The immune status of heroin addicts during treatment with methadone

Literature data reveal generally a negative impact of drugs of abuse on the immune system. However, at this level, a variety of changes have been reported among heroin addicts, indicating both decreased and increased immune functions. There are only limited and highly variable reports concerning the impacts of heroin addiction on the functions of the immune system. Thus, the aim of current study was to dynamically investigate the impact of opiates on the immune response in heroin addicted patients during the first six months of methadone substitution therapy. A broad panel of immune parameters assessing effects of opioids on both innate and adaptive immunity were investigated. The study revealed that heroin disrupts the immune response, but only certain aspects indicate immunosuppression, such as elevated sCD25 levels, low levels of serum cytokines, and poor granulocyte response through activation via PKC. The switch to oral methadone from i.v. heroin initially determines a partial restoration of the immune defence capacity.