Does hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection alter methadone dose requirements?
Alain H Litwin, MD, Division of Substance Abuse, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY., 368 E 149th St., Bronx, NY 10455, 1-917-494-0761, alainlitwin@yahoo.com and Marc N Gourevitch, MD, Division of Substance Abuse, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, 1500 Waters Place, Parker Building, 6th Floor, Ward 20, Bronx, NY 10461. Objectives: Injection drug use (IDU) is the primary mode of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission/acquisition in the US. Among IDUs, many of whom receive methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), prevalence rates exceed 50%. Controversy exists regarding whether HCV(+) patients require higher doses of methadone than HCV (-) patients. We explored the relationship of methadone dose, HCV infection status and liver inflammation among MMT patients. Methods: A chart review was conducted of a random selection of patients enrolled at a Bronx MMT program. Patients in treatment less than six months were exclu
