Effects of Opiates on Blood Rheology

Abstract

To evaluate the possible effect of opiates on blood rheology, the plasma fibrinogen, prothrombin time and leukocyte aggregation were measured in 75 heroin addicts categorized by the time of abstention from heroin and the administration of naltrexone (25 active heroin abusers, 25 abstaining for 1 week, 11 abstaining for at least 5 months and 14 abstaining for 1 month and taking naltrexone during this period). No difference was detected in prothrombin time, but the leukocyte aggregation and fibrinogen were significantly different among the four groups (p = 0.028 and p = 0.0001, respectively). In particular, fibrinogen was 318 +/- 10.9 mg/dL in heroin abusers, significantly higher than that of the remaining three groups; the percentage of aggregated leukocytes was 5.01 +/- 0.77 in heroin users, significantly higher than that of subjects abstaining for at least 5 months. The fibrinogen levels declined sharply with abstention and an additive effect was noted with the administration of naltrexone, but leukocyte aggregation changed more slowly, and the effect of naltrexone (if any) was weaker. These data indicate an adverse effect of opiates on blood rheology and suggest that further studies should be performed to evaluate whether naltrexone may be useful in the prevention of major ischemic syndromes in patients with hyperfibrinogenemia and, perhaps, in those with high levels of leukocyte aggregation.

Hemorheological changes and characteristic parameters derived from whole blood viscometry in chronic heroin addicts

“…They found a significantly higher fibrinogen (318 ± 10.9 mg/dl) and different leukocyte aggregation in heroin abusers, but no difference was detected in prothrombin time among the studied groups [2].…”

“…To evaluate the possible effect of opiates on blood rheology Galante et al [2] measured the plasma fibrinogen, prothrombin time and leukocyte aggregation in 75 heroin addicts categorized by the time of abstention from heroin and the administration of naltrexone. They found a significantly higher fibrinogen (318 ± 10.9 mg/dl) and different leukocyte aggregation in heroin abusers, but no difference was detected in prothrombin time among the studied groups [2].…”

“…The parameters of the Eqs (1) and (2) have been determined from the experimental data for drug abusers and for the controls. The use of low shear rate viscometry and a Herschel-Bulkley equation provides a yield shear stress that has a defined unites and is known to reflect RBC aggregation.…”

Fibrinogen α‐chain‐derived peptide is upregulated in hippocampus of rats exposed to acute morphine injection and spontaneous alternation testing

“…A fibrinogen a-chain-derived peptide, fibrinopeptide A, was upregulated in response to morphine and spontaneous alternation. Although this appears to be the first report of fibrinogen level changes in rat brain, human studies have shown that opium users have higher fibrinogen blood concentrations (Galante et al 1994;Asgary et al 2008). In situ hybridization data from the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas show mRNA expression of fibrinogen chains in the mouse brain.…”

“…Although this appears to be the first report of fibrinogen level changes in rat brain, human studies have shown that opium users have higher fibrinogen blood concentrations (Galante et al. ; Asgary et al. ).…”