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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Decreased bone density in men on methadone maintenance therapy
Andrew Grey1, Karla Rix-Trott, Anne Horne
1Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. a.grey@auckland.ac.nz
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|October 20, 2010
Summary
Men in methadone maintenance programs show significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) throughout their skeleton. Women on methadone maintenance therapy did not exhibit altered BMD. Skeletal health assessment is recommended for men in these programs.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Orthopedics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Opioid use can negatively affect skeletal health.
- Prolonged opioid exposure is common in methadone maintenance programs.
- Understanding the impact of methadone on bone health is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover in individuals undergoing methadone maintenance therapy (MMT).
- To determine if MMT affects skeletal health.
- To compare BMD in MMT participants with normative data and controls.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Inclusion of 83 participants (48 men, 35 women) on MMT for a median of 11 years.
- Measurement of BMD at lumbar spine, total hip, and total body, alongside biochemical markers of bone turnover.
Main Results:
- Men on MMT exhibited significantly lower BMD at all measured skeletal sites compared to normative data (P < 0.001).
- BMD in women on MMT was not significantly different from control values.
- Bone turnover markers were within normal ranges for both genders; men on MMT had lower serum testosterone.
Conclusions:
- Methadone maintenance therapy is associated with reduced bone mineral density in men, but not in women.
- Men in methadone maintenance programs require skeletal health assessment, including fracture risk evaluation.
- Further research may explore the mechanisms behind reduced BMD in men on MMT.
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