Effect of hepatitis C virus status on liver enzymes in opioid-dependent pregnant women maintained on opioid-agonist medication

Abstract

Aim: To examine hepatic enzyme test results throughout the course of pregnancy in women maintained on methadone or buprenorphine.

Design: Participants were randomized to either methadone or buprenorphine maintenance. Blood chemistry tests, including liver transaminases and hepatitis C virus (HCV) status, were determined every 4 weeks and once postpartum. As part of a planned secondary analysis, generalized mixed linear models were conducted with aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) as the dependent variables.

Setting: Six US sites and one European site that provided comprehensive treatment to pregnant opioid-dependent women.

Participants: A total of 175 opioid-dependent pregnant women enrolled in the Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) study.

Findings: ALT, AST and GGT levels decreased for all subjects across pregnancy trimesters, rising slightly postpartum. HCV-positive subjects exhibited higher transaminases at all time-points compared to HCV-negative subjects, regardless of medication (all Ps < 0.05) condition. Both HCV-positive and negative buprenorphine-maintained participants exhibited lower GGT levels than those who were methadone-maintained (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Neither methadone nor buprenorphine appear to have adverse hepatic effects in the treatment of pregnant opioid-dependent women.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00271219.

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests:

The clinical trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT00271219; Title: RCT Comparing Methadone and Buprenorphine in Pregnant Women

H.J. discloses that she has received reimbursement for time and travel from Reckitt Benckiser.

KEO’G discloses that he has received reimbursement for time from Reckitt Benckiser.

© 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Figures

Figure 1

Means by HCV status across trimesters: HCV positive (n=66)

Figure 2

Means by HCV Status across trimesters: HCV negative (n= 106)