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Bone Mineral Density in Young Women on Methadone Substitution

Milos, Gabriella ; Gallo, Luigi ; Sosic, Branca ; Uebelhart, Daniel ; Goerres, Gerhard ; Haeuselmann, Hans-Jörg ; Eich, Dominique

In: Calcified Tissue International, 2011, vol. 89, no. 3, p. 228-233

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    Title
    • Bone Mineral Density in Young Women on Methadone Substitution
    Author
    • Milos, Gabriella. Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Zurich, Culmannstrasse 8, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Gallo, Luigi. Clinic for Masticatory Disorders, Removable Prosthodontics and Special Care Dentistry, Centre for Oral Medicine, Dental and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Sosic, Branca. Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Uebelhart, Daniel. Osteoporosis Center, Department of Rheumatology and Institute of Physical Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Goerres, Gerhard. Institute of Medical Radiology soH, Hospital Solothurn, Grenchen, Switzerland
    • Haeuselmann, Hans-Jörg. Center for Rheumatology and Bone Disease, Clinic im Park, Zurich, Switzerland
    • Eich, Dominique. Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
    Document Type
    • Postprint
    OAI-PMH Identifier
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:319539
    Summary
    Little is known about bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with heroin addiction and subsequent methadone substitution. The goal of this study was to compare bone mass density of young HIV-negative women on long-term methadone treatment to a local group of young healthy women. Eleven women (aged 20-29) with previous heroin dependence and current methadone substitution (20-140mg, median 60, daily) for 1.5-9 (median 3) years were compared to 30 healthy women (aged 20-28). Participants were examined with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine (L2-L4), of the total proximal hip area, and of the femoral neck. Patients and controls had neither current nor lifetime underweight condition, had comparable ages at menarche, and did not differ significantly in current body mass index (21.9±4.0, respectively, 20.5±1.5kg/m2) in spite of a largely unhealthy lifestyle (cigarette, alcohol, and cocaine consumption in patients). Patients' total-hip parameters were marginally lower than those of controls (BMD P=0.054, T score P=0.049), whereas the femoral neck and lumbar spine parameters did not differ significantly between the two groups. Long-term methadone substitution in HIV-negative women seems to slightly affect bone mass density