Clinical Characteristics of Heroin Injection Drug Users in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Clinic in a General Hospital

Purposes: This study characterized 441 heroin addicts in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in a general hospital. Methods: A total of 441 patients who met a diagnosis of opioid dependence and accessed the MMT program were recruited for this study. Demographic data were recorded and laboratory analysis for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections were performed. Results: Age at initial heroin use ranged 20-29 years, age beginning MMT ranged 30-39 years, and mean years of drug use was 9.45±5.77. Infections included HCV (91.8%), HBV (12.7%) and HIV (12.9%). Heroin cost per day and frequency of heroin injections decreased significantly (p＜0.001) after MMT. Age at first heroin injection negatively correlated with duration of drug use before MMT, but age at beginning MMT, frequency of heroin injections before MMT and number of incarcerations positively correlated with duration of drug use before MMT. Conclusions: MMT reduced cost and frequency of heroin injection. To reduce the duration of drug use before MMT, the program should target young drug users, heavily drug users and the prisoner with high number of incarcerations.