Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The Correlation between Methadone Dosages among Pairs of Heroin Users in Romantic Relationships and among Pairs of Heroin Users Who Are Siblings

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study explores whether an individual’s methadone dose is influenced by the level of another individual’s dose as a function of their relationship. Thirty-four subjects were recruited in this study; 16 subjects were in a partner relationship and 18 subjects were siblings. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the dose of one member of the dyad was a predictor of the dose of the other member of the dyad. Mean difference in dose was negatively associated with the correlation coefficient in sibling dyads but not partner dyads. Analysis of the dose curves showed that all partner dyads demonstrated a “collinearity pattern” or “coexistence pattern,” but a “distinct trend pattern” was only noted in sibling dyads. Our results suggest that there is a relationship between the methadone doses of members of a dyad and that this phenomenon is more remarkable in partnership dyads than sibling dyads.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baumeister, M., Vogel, M., Dursteler-MacFarland, K. M., Gerhard, U., Strasser, J., Walter, M., Wiesbeck, G. A., & Petitjean, S. A. (2014). Association between methadone dose and concomitant cocaine use in methadone maintenance treatment: a register-based study. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 9, 46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belding, M. A., McLellan, A. T., Zanis, D. A., & Incmikoski, R. (1998). Characterizing “nonresponsive” methadone patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 15(6), 485–492.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caplehorn, J. R. M., Bell, J., Kleinbaum, D. G., & Gebski, V. J. (1993). Methadone dose and heroin use during maintenance treatment. Addiction, 88(1), 119–124.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, I. M., Huang, C. L., Yeh, B. J., & Chien, Y. L. (2015). Health service utilization of heroin abusers: a retrospective cohort study. Addiction Behavior, 45, 281–286.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, S., Delamere, S., McCullough, L., Hopkins, S., Bergin, C., & Mulcahy, F. (2003). Assessing limiting factors to the acceptance of antiretroviral therapy in a large cohort of injecting drug users. HIV Medicine, 4(1), 33–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Curry, A. D., & Latkin, C. A. (2003). Gender differences in street economy and social network correlates of arrest among heroin injectors in Baltimore, Maryland. Journal of Urban Health, 80(3), 482–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D'Aunno, T., Pollack, H. A., Frimpong, J. A., & Wuchiett, D. (2014). Evidence-based treatment for opioid disorders: a 23-year national study of methadone dose levels. Journal of Subtance Abuse Treatment, 47(4), 245–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Dios, M. A., Stanton, C. A., Caviness, C. M., Niaura, R., & Stein, M. (2013). The social support and social network characteristics of smokers in methadone maintenance treatment. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 39(1), 50–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degenhardt, L., Charlson, F., Mathers, B., Hall, W. D., Flaxman, A. D., Johns, N., & Vos, T. (2014). The global epidemiology and burden of opioid dependence: results from the global burden of disease 2010 study. Addiction, 109(8), 1320–1333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinis-Oliveira, R. J. (2016). Metabolomics of methadone: clinical and forensic toxicological implications and variability of dose response. Drug Metabolism Reviews, 48(4), 568–576.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fry, C., & Dwyer, R. (2001). For love or money? An exploratory study of why injecting drug users participate in research. Addiction, 96(9), 1319–1325.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gossop, M., Griffiths, P., Powis, B., & Strang, J. (1993). Severity of heroin dependence and HIV risk. II. Sharing injecting equipment. AIDS Care, 5(2), 159–168.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartel, D. M., Schoenbaum, E. E., Selwyn, P. A., Kline, J., Davenny, K., Klein, R. S., & Friedland, G. H. (1995). Heroin use during methadone-maintenance treatment—the importance of methadone dose and cocaine use. American Journal of Public Health, 85(1), 83–88.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, H. J. (1995). Codependence, narcissism, and childhood trauma. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51(5), 658–665.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph, H., Stancliff, S., & Langrod, J. (2000). Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT): a review of historical and clinical issues. Mt Sinai Journal of Medicine, 67(5–6), 347–364.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kakko, J., Gronbladh, L., Svanborg, K. D., von Wachenfeldt, J., Ruck, C., Rawlings, B., Nilsson, L. H., & Heilig, M. (2007). A stepped care strategy using buprenorphine and methadone versus conventional methadone maintenance in heroin dependence: a randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(5), 797–803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, P. J., Ramaswamy, M., Li, X., Litwin, A. H., Berg, K. M., & Arnsten, J. H. (2012). Social networks of substance users with HIV infection: application of the Norbeck Social Support Scale. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 34(5), 621–634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, N. J., Jin, H., McFarland, W., & Raymond, H. F. (2015). Trends in sources and sharing of needles among people who inject drugs, San Francisco, 2005–2012. The International Journal on Drug Policy, 26(12), 1238–1243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko, N. Y., Hsu, S. T., Chen, C. H., Lee, H. C., & Ko, W. C. (2011). Heroin dependence and bloodborne virus transmission behaviors for HIV infection among newly incarcerated injection drug users in Taiwan. Substance Use and Misuse, 46(5), 591–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kreek, M. J., Borg, L., Ducat, E., & Ray, B. (2010). Pharmacotherapy in the treatment of addiction: methadone. Journal of Addict Disorders, 29(2), 200–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Latowsky, M. (1996). Improving detoxification outcomes from methadone maintenance treatment: the interrelationship of affective states and protracted withdrawal. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 28(3), 251–257.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, H. C., Chen, K. Y., Wang, P. W., Yen, C. F., Wu, H. C., Yen, C. N., & Chang, H. C. (2013). Predictors for dropping-out from methadone maintenance therapy programs among heroin users in southern Taiwan. Substance Use and Misuse, 48(1–2), 181–191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lions, C., Carrieri, M. P., Michel, L., Mora, M., Marcellin, F., Morel, A., et al. (2014). Predictors of non-prescribed opioid use after one year of methadone treatment: an attributable-risk approach (ANRS-Methaville trial). Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 135, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merikangas, A. K., Segurado, R., Cormican, P., Heron, E. A., Anney, R. J., Moore, S., et al. (2014). The phenotypic manifestations of rare CNVs in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 158(1–3), 255–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mouly, S., Bloch, V., Peoc'h, K., Houze, P., Labat, L., Ksouda, K., et al. (2015). Methadone dose in heroin-dependent patients: role of clinical factors, comedications, genetic polymorphisms and enzyme activity. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 79(6), 967–977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neaigus, A., Friedman, S. R., Curtis, R., Jarlais, D. C. D., Furst, R. T., Jose, B., et al. (1994). The relevance of drug injectors social and risk networks for understanding and preventing HIV-infection. Social Science & Medicine, 38(1), 67–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noor, S. W., Ross, M. W., Lai, D., & Risser, J. M. (2013). Clustered drug and sexual HIV risk among a sample of middle-aged injection drug users, Houston, Texas. AIDS Care, 25(7), 895–903.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nutt, D., King, L. A., Saulsbury, W., & Blakemore, C. (2007). Development of a rational scale to assess the harm of drugs of potential misuse. Lancet, 369(9566), 1047–1053.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Panaghi, L., Ahmadabadi, Z., Khosravi, N., Sadeghi, M. S., & Madanipour, A. (2016). Living with addicted men and codependency: the moderating effect of personality traits. Addiction and Health, 8(2), 98–106.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peles, E., Schreiber, S., Hetzroni, T., Adelson, M., & Defrin, R. (2011). The differential effect of methadone dose and of chronic pain on pain perception of former heroin addicts receiving methadone maintenance treatment. The Journal of Pain, 12(1), 41–50.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pivnick, A., Jacobson, A., Eric, K., Doll, L., & Drucker, E. (1994). AIDS, HIV-infection, and illicit drug-use within inner-city families and social networks. American Journal of Public Health, 84(2), 271–274.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Preston, K. L., Umbricht, A., & Epstein, D. H. (2000). Methadone dose increase and abstinence reinforcement for treatment of continued heroin use during methadone maintenance. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57(4), 395–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roux, P., Lions, C., Michel, L., Mora, M., Daulouede, J. P., Marcellin, F., … Anrs Methaville Study Group. (2014). Factors associated with HCV risk practices in methadone-maintained patients: the importance of considering the couple in prevention interventions. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 9, 37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmons, J., & Singer, M. (2006). I love you… and heroin: care and collusion among drug-using couples. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 1, 7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. D., Anderson, B. J., Thurmond, P., & Bailey, G. L. (2015). Comparing the life concerns of prescription opioid and heroin users. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 48(1), 43–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Unger, J. B., Kipke, M. D., De Rosa, C. J., Hyde, J., Ritt-Olson, A., & Montgomery, S. (2006). Needle-sharing among young IV drug users and their social network members: the influence of the injection partner’s characteristics on HIV risk behavior. Addictive Behaviors, 31(9), 1607–1618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volavka, J., Verebey, K., Resnick, R., & Mule, S. (1978). Methadone dose, plasma level, and cross-tolerance to heroin in man. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 166(2), 104–109.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch, Yunlin, Taiwan

    Wei-Lieh Huang

  2. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wei-Lieh Huang, Yi-Ling Chien & Chi-Sin Wu

  3. Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Wei-Lieh Huang & Yi-Ling Chien

  4. Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yi-Ling Chien & Chi-Sin Wu

Authors
  1. Wei-Lieh Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yi-Ling Chien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chi-Sin Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: WLH, YLC. Performed the experiments: YLC. Analyzed the data: WLH, YLC, CSW. Wrote the paper: WLH, YLC.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yi-Ling Chien.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huang, WL., Chien, YL. & Wu, CS. The Correlation between Methadone Dosages among Pairs of Heroin Users in Romantic Relationships and among Pairs of Heroin Users Who Are Siblings. Int J Ment Health Addiction 16, 1270–1282 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9858-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9858-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation