[The action of naloxone on monocyte chemotaxis in heroin addicts]

Intravenous (I.V.) drug users possess a decrease of the monocyte chemotaxis directly related to drug usage. We study the effects of naloxone on monocyte chemotaxis in I.V. drug users, evaluating the chemotactic index and the cellular level of cAMP. The incubation of monocytes with naloxone did not modify the chemotactic index nor the cellular levels of cAMP, the first remaining low and the second high, this being statistically significant compared with the control group. We comment on the possible causes of naloxone's lack of effect and we suggest the role of cAMP in causing the chemotactic defect in this group of patients.