preprint · medRxiv
People receiving methadone maintenance treatment for heroin use disorder in Dar-es-Salaam show a high prevalence of early lung function decline. An investigation of 302 adult patients at a specialised clinic revealed that 28.5% had significant respiratory impairment, presenting at an average age of 44 years. Restrictive lung disease emerged as the most frequent pattern of impairment, affecting 13.2% of the participants. The primary factors independently linked to reduced lung function were being underweight, living with HIV, and having a documented history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Because these patients face a substantial burden of respiratory issues earlier in life than the general public, incorporating routine spirometry into addiction management programmes could help identify and manage pulmonary disease earlier.
Heroin use and certain recovery treatments can severely impact respiratory health far earlier than normal ageing would. Identifying how common lung impairment is in this group, alongside specific risk factors like tuberculosis, HIV, and being underweight, helps healthcare providers target interventions to protect lung capacity and improve the long-term well-being of individuals undergoing addiction recovery.
The findings support clinical application by highlighting the utility of portable spirometers within addiction treatment centres. The potential users are healthcare providers and clinic operators managing medication-assisted therapy programmes who could integrate standard diagnostic workflows. As an observational study confirming disease prevalence, the work itself is early-stage clinical research and does not present a proprietary device or therapeutic product.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Abstract Heroin users have a high burden of respiratory morbidity, including premature lung function decline at age of 41 years. This early decline in lung function has been attributed to exposure to multiple risk factors. Further, methadone treatment has been found to aggravate lung function decline and independently cause asthma. However, the lung function status among heroin users on Medication-Assisted Therapy clinic in Tanzania is yet to be studied. This study aimed to assess the magnitude, pattern, and factors associated with lung function decline among heroin users attending MAT clinic at the Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania. This was a quantitative, analytical cross-sectional study conducted between May, 2022 – July, 2023. Individuals aged 18 years or above with heroin use disorder on the maintenance phase of treatment were recruited into the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire, and lung functions were measured using a portable spirometer. Lung function decline was defined as the percentage of participants with FEV1 <70%. The association between socio-demographic characteristics, substance use history and comorbidities with lung function decline was assessed via binary logistic regression. We enrolled 302 participants into the study (mean age of 42.78±7.56 years), whereby 95.7% were male. Of the study participants, 28.5% had lung function decline with mean age at onset of 44 ± 8 years. Restrictive lung disease was the commonest pattern of lung function decline with a proportion of 13.2%. Independent predictors of lung function decline were being underweight (aOR 4.73, 95% CI 2.61-8.59, p<0.001), living with HIV infection (aOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.20-5.66, p=0.016) and having a history of pulmonary TB (aOR 2.48, 95% CI 1.48-4.17, p=0.001). Heroin users on methadone therapy in Dar-es-salaam have high magnitude of lung function decline compared to the general population. Routine lung function testing is recommended.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.01.25319867
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
