Opium addiction increases interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in the coronary artery disease patients.

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that opium addiction has immunosuppressant effects. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition resulted from atherosclerosis which is dependent on the immune response.

PURPOSE: To evaluate plasma levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1Ra in 30 patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease, ejection fraction of more than 35% and to evaluate their changes after prognostic treadmill test in 15 opium addicted and 15 non-addicted patients.

METHODS

The participants underwent prognostic treadmill test and plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1Ra (IL-1Ra) were evaluated with ELISA method before, just after and 4 hours after the test.

RESULTS

IL-1Ra (2183 pg/ml) tended to decrease over time in the opium addicted group (1372 pg/ml after prognostic treadmill test and 1034 pg/ml 4 hours after that), although such decrease did not reach the statistical significance. IL-1Ra levels were significantly higher in opium addicted than in non addicted patients. Opium addiction had no significant effect on IL-6 changes.

CONCLUSION

Consumption of opium in CAD patients is associated with higher IL-1Ra levels.