Hepatitis Infection in the Treatment of Opioid Dependence and Abuse

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Abstract

Many new and existing cases of viral hepatitis infections are related to injection drug use. Transmission of these infections can result directly from the use of injection equipment that is contaminated with blood containing the hepatitis B or C virus or through sexual contact with an infected individual. In the latter case, drug use can indirectly contribute to hepatitis transmission through the dis-inhibited at-risk behavior, that is, unprotected sex with an infected partner. Individuals who inject drugs are at-risk for infection from different hepatitis viruses, hepatitis A, B, or C. Those with chronic hepatitis B virus infection also face additional risk should they become co-infected with hepatitis D virus. Protection from the transmission of hepatitis viruses A and B is best achieved by vaccination. For those with a history of or who currently inject drugs, the medical management of viral hepatitis infection comprising screening, testing, counseling and providing care and treatment is evolving. Components of the medical management of hepatitis infection, for persons considering, initiating, or receiving pharmacologic therapy for opioid addiction include: testing for hepatitis B and C infections; education and counseling regarding at-risk behavior and hepatitis transmission, acute and chronic hepatitis infection, liver disease and its care and treatment; vaccination against hepatitis A and B infection; and integrative primary care as part of the comprehensive treatment approach for recovery from opioid abuse and dependence. In addition, participation in a peer support group as part of integrated medical care enhances treatment outcomes. Liver disease is highly prevalent in patient populations seeking recovery from opioid addiction or who are currently receiving pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction. Pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction is not a contraindication to evaluation, care, or treatment of liver disease due to hepatitis virus infection. Successful pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction stabilizes patients and improves patient compliance to care and treatment regimens as well as promotes good patient outcomes. Implementation and integration of effective hepatitis prevention programs, care programs, and treatment regimens in concert with the pharmacological therapy of opioid addiction can reduce the public health burdens of hepatitis and injection drug use.

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Most cited references 418

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Anna Lok, Brian McMahon (2007)

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Interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group.

J. G. McHutchison, S Gordon, E R Schiff … (1998)

Only 15 to 20 percent of patients with chronic hepatitis C have a sustained virologic response to interferon therapy. We compared the efficacy and safety of recombinant interferon alfa-2b alone with those of a combination of interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for the initial treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. We randomly assigned 912 patients with chronic hepatitis C to receive standard-dose interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin (1000 or 1200 mg orally per day, depending on body weight) for 24 or 48 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by measurements of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and serum aminotransferases and by liver biopsy. The rate of sustained virologic response (defined as an undetectable serum HCV RNA level 24 weeks after treatment was completed) was higher among patients who received combination therapy for either 24 weeks (70 of 228 patients, 31 percent) or 48 weeks (87 of 228 patients, 38 percent) than among patients who received interferon alone for either 24 weeks (13 of 231 patients, 6 percent) or 48 weeks (29 of 225 patients, 13 percent) (P<0.001 for the comparison of interferon alone with both 24 weeks and 48 weeks of combination treatment). Among patients with HCV genotype 1 infection, the best response occurred in those who were treated for 48 weeks with interferon and ribavirin. Histologic improvement was more common in patients who were treated with combination therapy for either 24 weeks (57 percent) or 48 weeks (61 percent) than in those who were treated with interferon alone for either 24 weeks (44 percent) or 48 weeks (41 percent). The drug doses had to be reduced and treatment discontinued more often in patients who were treated with combination therapy. In patients with chronic hepatitis C, initial therapy with interferon and ribavirin was more effective than treatment with interferon alone.

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The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the United States, 1988 through 1994.

Miriam J Alter, Deanna Kruszon-Moran, Omana Nainan … (1999)

Because many persons with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are asymptomatic, population-based serologic studies are needed to estimate the prevalence of the infection and to develop and evaluate prevention efforts. We performed tests for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) on serum samples from 21,241 persons six years old or older who participated in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted during 1988 through 1994. We determined the prevalence of HCV RNA by means of nucleic acid amplification and the genotype by means of sequencing. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.8 percent, corresponding to an estimated 3.9 million persons nationwide (95 percent confidence interval, 3.1 million to 4.8 million) with HCV infection. Sixty-five percent of the persons with HCV infection were 30 to 49 years old. Seventy-four percent were positive for HCV RNA, indicating that an estimated 2.7 million persons in the United States (95 percent confidence interval, 2.4 million to 3.0 million) were chronically infected, of whom 73.7 percent were infected with genotype 1 (56.7 percent with genotype 1a, and 17.0 percent with genotype 1b). Among subjects 17 to 59 years of age, the strongest factors independently associated with HCV infection were illegal drug use and high-risk sexual behavior. Other factors independently associated with infection included poverty, having had 12 or fewer years of education, and having been divorced or separated. Neither sex nor racial-ethnic group was independently associated with HCV infection. In the United States, about 2.7 million persons are chronically infected with HCV. People who use illegal drugs or engage in high-risk sexual behavior account for most persons with HCV infection.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Subst Abuse

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Subst Abuse

Journal ID (publisher-id): Substance Abuse Research and Treatment

Title: Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment

Publisher: Libertas Academica

ISSN (Electronic): 1178-2218

Publication date Collection: 2008

Publication date (Electronic): 28 April 2008

Volume: 1

Pages: 15-61

Affiliations

[1 ]Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, MD.

[2 ]Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Organization to Achieve Solutions In Substance Abuse (O.A.S.I.S.) Oakland, CA.

[3 ]Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, National Institute on Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD.

[4 ]Division of Substance Abuse, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center Bronx, NY.

Author notes

Correspondence: Thomas F. Kresina Ph.D., Division of Pharmacologic Therapies, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA Rockville, MD 20857. Tel: 240-276-2713; Email: tkresina@ 123456samhsa.gov

Article

Publisher ID: sart-1-2008-015

PMC ID: 4395041

PubMed ID: 25977607

SO-VID: bfa73f27-403d-4c3a-9413-a38541487445

License:

It is published under the Creative Commons Attribution By licence. For further information go to: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/.

Hepatitis Infection in the Treatment of Opioid Dependence and Abuse

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Abstract

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Tobacco Prevention & Cessation

Most cited references 418

Chronic hepatitis B.

Interferon alfa-2b alone or in combination with ribavirin as initial treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis Interventional Therapy Group.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the United States, 1988 through 1994.

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