Materials and Methods: A search of publication was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus database. Two reviewers independently screened the titles, abstracts, and keyword use for the search. Inclusion of studies was based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies that report the difference of opioid addiction treatment outcomes between genders. Any conflict between the two reviewers was resolved through discussion and consensus. The systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO with a registration number CRD42019116261.
Results: A total of 25 studies were evaluated as part of qualitative synthesis. The review resulted in three main themes, which are (1) improving well-being and methadone-related outcome (five subthemes), (2) impact on social and behavioral (four subthemes), and (3) illicit drug use pattern-related behavior (four subthemes).
Conclusion: This review will highlight how men and women differ in methadone treatment outcomes for further application and improvement in the clinical setting.
Objectives: This study examined the plasma concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10 (IL-10), in short-, and long-term opioid users with noncancer pain.
Materials and Methods: Adult patients with opioid therapy for noncancer pain were recruited from pain clinics at two tertiary hospital settings in Malaysia between February 2016 and March 2017. They were stratified into short- or long-term users based on opioid prescriptions ≥ 90 days per year. A 10mL blood sample was taken for the analysis of plasma concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 and were quantified using a highly sensitive multiplex assay.
Results: Of 38 patients recruited, 24% (n = 9/38) and 76% (n = 29/38) were respectively short- and long-term opioid users. Short-term use of opioid was associated with higher levels of IL-6 (mean ± SD, 173.9 ± 13.7 pg/mL) and IL-10 (50 ± 5.8 pg/mL), whereas long-term use of opioids was associated with lower levels (no significant difference) of both cytokines IL6 (125 ± 16.1 pg/mL) and IL10 (41.3 ± 6.7 pg/mL). There was strong correlation between IL-6 and IL-10 within the same group (r² = 0.72, P < 0.05) and (r² = 0.76, P < 0.05) for short- and long-term users, respectively.
Conclusion: The duration of opioid use may modulate the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in which it was higher in short-term use and lower in long-term use, but the effect of pain relief was similar as both cytokines were well correlated.
Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and assess an equivalent modified FTND scale that measures the nicotine dependency via EC.
Materials and Methods: The investigator developed the equivalent modified FTND scale that scores identical to the original scale, that is, 0-10. The developed scale piloted among 15 EC single users, that is, use only EC verified by carbon monoxide (CO) level of <8ppm. The assessment of the scale was done among 69 EC single users and observed for 1 year to determine their nicotine status.
Results: The modified scale revealed an acceptable Cronbach α value of 0.725. Further test-retest reliability of the scale showed a satisfactory Spearman's rank correlation coefficient value of 0.730 (P > 0.05). A 1-year observation showed that of 69 single users, 11 single users completely stopped nicotine intake, 24 remained as EC single users, 15 shifted to dual-use, and 19 relapsed to TCG. Surprisingly, the EC users who completely stopped nicotine intake after 1 year had a low average nicotine dependence value of 3 that was measured by the modified FTND scale at the baseline.
Conclusion: The modified FTND scale precisely identifies the physical dependence to nicotine via EC. Therefore, as per this study results the modified FTND scale can be applied in any EC-related studies to assess nicotine dependency via EC.