Evaluation of Antioxidant Status, High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein, and Insulin Resistance in Male Chronic Opiate Users Without Comorbidities

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data on frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS), insulin resistance (IR), and oxidative stress in Indian opiate users without comorbidities. OBJECTIVES To determine the influence of opiate use on frequency of MS, homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and oxidative stress in opiate-dependent male patients without comorbidities. METHODS Participants (n = 120) were grouped as controls (Group I), pure opiate dependents (Group II), opiate + tobacco dependents (Group III), and tobacco dependents (Group IV) with a minimum of 1-year dependence participated in the study. Participants were evaluated for anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood sugar, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipid profile, hs-CRP, and total antioxidant status (TAS). Frequency of MS was determined based on modified Adult Treatment Panel-III. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, multiple regression by SPSS 21. RESULTS Frequency of MS in opiate dependents was higher than control. There was a significant difference in serum insulin, HOMA-IR, and TAS levels of the study groups. Multiple regression analysis showed dependence years, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP to be significant independent predictors of TAS in Group II and III patients with MS after adjusting for age and education years. TAS and DBP significantly predicted hs-CRP after adjusting for age and education years in Group II and III patients with MS. No such relation was seen in Group I and IV. CONCLUSIONS Chronic opiate-dependent males without comorbidity are a unique group that shows low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and prevalence of MS predisposing them to future risk of cardiovascular diseases.