Immunoglobulin alterations associated with heroin addiction.

Abstract

Heroin users presenting at a methadone treatment centre were studied with various biochemical and immunologic tests. Three-fourths of those studied had an abnormally high value for immunoglobulin M. This was not related to alterations of their other immunoglobulins or to abnormalities of liver function tests. It is unlikely that this represents a specific immune response to heroin or to one of the fillers used with it. Rather it appears to be a non-specific stimulation of IgM-producing cells which may alter the immunologic competency of heroin addicts and possibly predisposes them to infection.