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.