Comparing Sexual Function between Opioid Dependents Consuming Methadone or Opium Tincture

Sedigheh Sadat   Moeeni; Reza   Rastgoo Sisakht; Nasim  Vousooghi; Koorosh  Kamali; Firoozeh   Raisi; Azarakhsh   Mokri

doi:10.18502/ijps.v16i3.6257

Sedigheh Sadat Moeeni Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Reza Rastgoo Sisakht Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Nasim Vousooghi Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Koorosh Kamali Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
Firoozeh Raisi Department of Psychiatry, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Azarakhsh Mokri Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v16i3.6257

Keywords: Anxiety; Opioid Substitution Therapy; Opium; Sexual Dysfunction; Testosterone

Abstract

Objective: Sexual dysfunction is a side effect of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT). Opium Tincture (OT) has been used as a maintenance treatment. This study aimed to determine and compare the trend of sexual function and its related factors during treatment with both drugs.

Method: An observational study was designed to measure the blood tests including free and total testosterone, prolactin, and sex hormone-binding globulin and a battery of questionnaires, including demographics and drug use history, in 42 and 53 patients entering MMT and OT treatment before and 1 and 3 months after the treatment.

Results: Significant changes in testosterone levels were observed in the MMT but not the OT group. The difference between the two groups was not significant. Neither between nor within changes in the sexual function and premature ejaculation scores were significant (P =0.370& 0.698). Anxiety levels were significantly different (P= 0.001) within and between groups. There was a considerable difference in the trend of depression changes in the OT group, but not different in MMT group and between the two groups.

Conclusion: No difference was found between MMT and OT effects on sexual function variables. The decrease in Testosterone during the three months of MMT, was not associated with diminished sexual function. In the MMT group, anxiety levels diminished during treatment. It seems that decreased testosterone in the MMT group was compensated by improved anxiety. Gonadotropin levels may not be the sole determinant in sexual activity, and complex interaction of mood and anxiety, agonist levels, and gonadotropins are involved.