The Effect of Methadone on Hypophyseal and Peripheral Glandular Hormones during Withdrawal

Abstract

The influence of methadone on the hypophyseal and peripheral glandular hormones of young male drug addicts was investigated at the end of a step by step withdrawal phase after several years addiction. The hormones were measured basally and in a combined function test for the adenohypophyseal partial functions. Cortisol, thyroxine, triiodothyronine and HGH were normal. Large changes were observed in the sex hormones in so far as a decrease in the concentration of free testosterone (4.8 ± 0.56 ng testosterone/ml; 90.6 ± 24.1 pg free testosterone/ml plasma as opposed to 5.64 ± 0.44 ng/ml and 126.0 ± 18.8 pg/ml for healthy individuals; p<0.05) and no alteration of free oestradiol (0.56 ± 0.08 vs 0.50 ± 0.08 pg/ml) led to an imbalance in the sex hormone levels (free oestradiol/free testosterone: 0.64 ± 0.11 × 10^-3 vs 0.41 ± 0.08 × 10^-3; p<0.01). Of the other hormones, FSH in these patients was significantly increased (7.2 ± 1.4 vs 2.9 ± 0.7 mU/ml; p<0.01) and prolactin significantly decreased (6.2 ± 2.3 vs 12.6 ± 3.1 ng/ml; p < 0.02), whereas LH and TSH were normal. The increase in prolactin after administration of TRH was significantly lower in these patients than in the control group (14.4 ± 5.1 vs 22.5 ± 6.1 ng/ml). Our results indicate that even after several year: use of methadone, normal adrenal and thyroid function is found after removal from this drug, whereas a protracted disturbance is observed in gonadal regulation.

Key words

Methadone - Addicts - Withdrawal - Hypophyseal Function - HGH - TSH - LH - FSH - Prolactin - Thyroxine - Trijodothyronine - Cortisol - Testosterone - Oestradiol - Oestrone - Free Steroids