Non-Invasive Detection of Opioid Addiction through Serum Analysis Using FTIR Spectroscopy.

INTRODUCTION

Opioid addiction is a widespread chronic disorder associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The impact of chronic opioid use on the serum biochemical profile remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to characterize serum biochemical profiles using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and evaluate their ability to differentiate opioid users from healthy controls.

METHODS

Serum samples were obtained from control individuals (n=40) and opioid use disorder (n=30) patients. FTIR spectroscopy was performed to obtain serum spectral profiles. To evaluate spectral differences and group discrimination based on biochemical profiles, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were applied.

FINDINGS: FTIR spectra exhibited similar peak positions but significantly different absorbance values between groups. Phospholipid (1081 and 1246 cm-1), amide (1321, 1543, 1636, and 3276 cm-1), and lipid (1738, 2857, 2872, 2927, and 2957 cm-1) bands showed reduced absorbance in the opioid group. Phospholipid absorbance at 1081 cm-1 was significantly lower in opioid users than controls (P<0.001). PCA demonstrated clear separation between groups, with the first three PCs explaining 97.34% of the total variance. HCA further confirmed distinct clustering by serum biochemical profile.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis successfully characterized serum biochemical alterations associated with opioid use disorder and effectively discriminated opioid users from healthy controls. The observed spectral differences confirmed the potential utility of FTIR spectroscopy as a rapid, minimally invasive approach for biochemical profiling and monitoring opioid-associated molecular changes.