Department of Community and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Hezar Jerib Street, Isfahan, 8174673461, Isfahan Province, Iran.
Department of Community Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2023 Jan 6;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s13011-023-00514-5.
Considering different factors, such as high withdrawal rates in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs alongside mental health (MH) problems appearing in patients with opioid use disorder and the lack of prior research on the effect of zinc supplementation in this respect, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of zinc supplementation on the probability of relapse (PoR) and MH problems in patients with opioid use disorder undergoing MMT.
For this purpose, a randomized controlled trial with a clinical basis was fulfilled on a total of 68 patients with opioid use disorder receiving MMT, allocated to two groups, viz. intervention, and control (each one consisting of 34 individuals). Then, the participants in the intervention group were given zinc supplements combined with methadone for three months, and the controls only took methadone, according to the treatment plan. The data were collected using the Relapse Prediction Scale (RPS) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) before, one month after, and at the end of the intervention program.
Compared to the control group, the likelihood of drug use (p = 0.01), drug craving (p = 0.002), and the RPS total score (p = 0.002) in the intervention group was significantly lower. Moreover, the results revealed a significant decreasing trend in depression (p = 0.01), anxiety (p < 0.001), stress (p = 0.001), and the DASS-21 total score (p = 0.001) in the intervention. Compared to the control group, the DASS-21 total score (p < 0.001) in the intervention group was significantly lower.
Accordingly, it was concluded that zinc supplementation could reduce the PoR and improve MH problems in patients with opioid use disorder experiencing MMT. However, further research is recommended to fill the gaps.
The research protocol has also been listed on the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with code no. IRCT2020050904736N1.
考虑到多种因素，例如美沙酮维持治疗（MMT）项目中较高的退出率，以及阿片类药物使用障碍患者中出现的心理健康（MH）问题，以及在此方面补锌补充剂效果的研究不足，本研究旨在调查补锌对接受 MMT 的阿片类药物使用障碍患者的复发率（PoR）和 MH 问题的影响。
为此，在总共 68 名接受 MMT 的阿片类药物使用障碍患者中进行了一项基于临床的随机对照试验，将他们分为两组，即干预组和对照组（每组 34 人）。然后，干预组的参与者在三个月内接受了锌补充剂和美沙酮联合治疗，而对照组仅按照治疗计划服用美沙酮。在干预计划之前、一个月后和结束时，使用复发预测量表（RPS）和抑郁、焦虑和压力量表 21 （DASS-21）收集数据。
与对照组相比，干预组的用药可能性（p=0.01）、用药渴望（p=0.002）和 RPS 总分（p=0.002）显著降低。此外，结果显示干预组的抑郁（p=0.01）、焦虑（p<0.001）、压力（p=0.001）和 DASS-21 总分（p=0.001）呈显著下降趋势。与对照组相比，干预组的 DASS-21 总分（p<0.001）显著降低。
因此，锌补充剂可以降低阿片类药物使用障碍患者接受 MMT 治疗的复发率并改善他们的心理健康问题。然而，建议进行进一步的研究以填补空白。
研究方案已在伊朗临床试验注册中心（IRCT）列出，编号为 IRCT2020050904736N1。
