Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Aug 2011
No evidence of association between 118A>G OPRM1 polymorphism and heroin dependence in a large Bulgarian case-control sample.
The μ-opioid receptor is the primary site of action of most opioids. The 118A>G (rs1799971) polymorphism in exon 1 of the μ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) leads to an Asn40Asp amino acid change that affects a putative N-glycosylation site. It has been widely investigated for association with alcohol and drug dependence and pain sensitivity, with mixed results. ⋯ SNP genotyping was done using Real-Time PCR TaqMan technology. Association analyses were conducted, separately for Roma and non-Roma participants. Our results suggest that there is no direct effect of 118A>G genotype on the risk for heroin dependence among active heroin users.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Aug 2011
A qualitative study exploring the reason for low dosage of methadone prescribed in the MMT clinics in China.
Dosage of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) is an important factor influencing retention in methadone treatment. MMT clients in China received lower dosages of methadone compared with those provided in other countries. The objective of this study is to elucidate the reason for the low methadone dosage prescribed in MMT clinics in China. ⋯ The findings of the study highlighted the necessity to formulate clear guidelines concerning individualized dosage management and to improve training among service providers' in MMT clinics in China.