[Effect of methadone or naltrexone on the course of transaminases in parenteral drug users with hepatitis C virus infection]

Abstract

A prospective study was conducted on the evolution of serum transaminases in 116 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), parenteral drug abusers, included for 6 months in treatment programs with methadone, naltrexone or "drug free" regimen. Treatment with methadone or naltrexone did not result in a transaminase increase in these patients. In contrast, patients included in the drug-free program appear to have a higher increase in serum transaminase levels than those treated with methadone or naltrexone (146.1 +/- 122.29 vs 91.88 +/- 81.96 and 86.99 +/- 64.26 Ul/ml, respectively). Such an increase originated mainly from patients who anytime during follow-up had a liver necrosis outbreak in the acute hepatitis range, and is offset if, instead of a given transaminase value, we consider a simplified liver necrosis index (1.28 +/- 0.74 vs 0.95 +/- 0.72 and 1.01 +/- 0.65, respectively; p > 0.05). HIV infected patients have serum transaminase values similar to those in HIV-negative patients (80.61 +/- 58.81 vs 113.63 +/- 99.59, respectively; p > 0.05).