A brand new Scientific Assertion launched right now by the Endocrine Society highlights analysis gaps related to the unfavorable results of opioid use on the endocrine system.
The use and misuse of opioids are a rising world downside. Opioids are used to deal with ache in individuals with most cancers or different circumstances (e.g., after an harm or surgical procedure), nonetheless, they’re extremely addictive and other people can develop opioid use dysfunction (OUD). The World Well being Group estimates 125,000 individuals died of opioid overdose in 2019.
The use and misuse of opioids has a unfavorable impact on our hormones and might result in reproductive, bone and adrenal well being issues.
“Exogenous Opioids and the Human Endocrine System: An Endocrine Society Scientific Assertion,” critiques knowledge associated to the use and misuse of opioids and the results of those medicine on the endocrine system. The Assertion discusses current analysis on the scientific penalties of opioids, particularly on the hypothalamic-pituitary system and bone well being.
“We tackle the numerous analysis gaps related to the results and scientific penalties of opioids on the endocrine system inside this Scientific Assertion,” stated lead Assertion creator Niki Karavitaki, M.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.C.P., of the College of Birmingham, Birmingham Well being Companions, and the College Hospitals Birmingham Nationwide Well being Service Basis Belief in Birmingham, U.Ok. “We hope bringing consideration to current analysis within the area, together with opioid use’s impression on gonadal, bone and adrenal circumstances, will enhance the endocrine well being of individuals utilizing or misusing opioids worldwide.”
The Assertion critiques analysis associated to the impression of opioids on gonadal and adrenal perform, and bone well being. The authors report male hypogonadism, a reproductive well being situation that causes low testosterone, as a well-recognized aspect impact of opioids, and supply extra readability across the drug’s lesser-known results on different components of the hypothalamic-pituitary system and bone well being. They talk about the hyperlink between opioids and the event of hyperprolactinemia and the way extra analysis is required to know their impact on secondary adrenal insufficiency.
The Assertion authors additionally assessed how opioids have an effect on the secretion of sure hormones to raised perceive the connection between opioid use and endocrine illness. These hormones embrace progress hormone, arginine vasopressin (regulates the physique’s water steadiness), and oxytocin (performs a vital position within the childbirth course of).
In addition they reviewed analysis into opioid’s actions on bone metabolism and their unfavorable impression on bone mineral density and threat of fracture.
“Clinicians want to concentrate on these endocrine well being penalties and monitor sufferers who’re utilizing opioids extra intently for indicators and signs of them,” Karavitaki stated.
Different assertion authors are Jeffrey Bettinger of Saratoga Hospital Medical Group in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Nienke Biermasz of Leiden College Medical Heart in Leiden, The Netherlands; Mirjam Christ-Crain of the College Hospital Basel and the College of Basel in Basel, Switzerland; Monica Gadelha of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Warrick Inder of Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, and the College of Queensland, Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia; Elena Tsourdi of Technische Universität Dresden in Dresden, Germany; Sarah Wakeman of Massachusetts Common Hospital, Mass Common Brigham and Harvard Medical Faculty in Boston, Mass.; and Maria Zatelli of the College of Ferrara in Ferrara, Italy.
The assertion, “Exogenous Opioids and the Human Endocrine System: An Endocrine Society Scientific Assertion,” was revealed on-line within the Society’s journal, Endocrine Evaluations.
The Endocrine Society develops Scientific Statements to discover the scientific foundation of hormone-related circumstances and illness, talk about how this information might be utilized in follow, and determine areas that require extra analysis. Subjects are chosen on the premise of their rising scientific impression. Scientific Statements are developed by a Activity Power of consultants appointed by the Endocrine Society, with inner overview by the related Society committees and skilled exterior reviewers previous to a remark interval open to all members of the Society.
