*4.1.2. Indicator: age*

In the general hypothesis of the study, we have anticipated that, when speaking about the drug consumers, there are clear differences between the average age of the drug consumers who are registered and the onset average age of the drug consumers within the same population, and the results lead to the confirmation and acceptance of the general hypothesis.

Thus, the average age of the patients registered at the beginning of the study was 31.28 ± 5.15 years and varied between 19 and 47 years (**Figure 1**), being significantly higher than the average age at the onset of drug use, which was 19.52 ± 4.35 years and varied between 11 and 33 years (**Figure 2**) (p < 0.001, t-Student). The statistic significant difference was also noticed when the Anova Test was applied (p < 0.001).

As regards the age at the onset of heroin use, there is a dramatic remark which says that many of the patients declared their onset under the age of 20, respectively, the most frequent interval, between the age of 15 and 20 (40/82 patients, 48.8%). The study points out the growth of the drug consumption among young people and the decrease of the onset age. Thus, the history of the opiates consumption is a long term one, an average of 11.73 ± 4.52 years varies between 3 and 25 years (**Figure 3**). We have pursued, on the other hand, the duration of the drug consumption, previous to the first requirement of treatment. The obtained results, using some specific statistic methods, have shown that the total period of the drug consumption is significantly different, from the statistic point of view (p < 0.001; t-Student, ANOVA**),** from the period of the drug consumption until the first methadone substitution treatment, with an age average 6.51 ± 3.45 years, varying in the area 1–18 years (**Figure 4**).


**Parameter Parameter Correlation coefficient, statistic** 

Comorbidities r = 0.409\*; p = 0.025

Methadone dose r = 0.526\*\*; p = 0.007

Age Length of consumption r = 0.461\*\*; p < 0.001

MMT numbers Previous hospitalizations periods r = 0.655**\*\***; p < 0.001

Age Length of consumption previous to MMT

Length of consumption Length of consumption previous to MMT

MMT numbers Number of psychological counseling meetings

**Table 2.** Pearson correlations among the analyzed parameters in the study.

**Figure 1.** Proportion of the patients according to the age.

Length of consumption previous

Length of consumption previous

\*Statistically significant correlation. \*\*Statistically highly significant correlation.

to MMT

to MMT

**significance**

r = 0.354\*\*; p = 0.001

Methadone Treatment for Heroin Dependence http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78066 123

r = 0.611\*\*; p < 0.001

r = 0.501\*; p = 0.02

**Table 1.** Characterization of the group under study.

These aspects, together with the typical profile of the drug addict, are set up in essential data, because they contribute to the accurate identification and peculiarity of the target groups, who should be hinted at when starting a prevention or therapeutic program within the drug addiction phenomenon.

The data are in accordance with the official statistics at the national level, which show that the duration of the consumption previous to the first requirement of assistance is longer for the opiates, with an average of 7.4 years and a frequent value of 4 years [20]. The official reports also show that, even though there are beneficiaries who require some medical assistance after


\*\*Statistically highly significant correlation.

**Table 2.** Pearson correlations among the analyzed parameters in the study.

**Figure 1.** Proportion of the patients according to the age.

These aspects, together with the typical profile of the drug addict, are set up in essential data, because they contribute to the accurate identification and peculiarity of the target groups, who should be hinted at when starting a prevention or therapeutic program within the drug

70.7% (58/82)

Proportion according to the sex 91.5% males; 8.5% females

Age (years) (mean ± SD) 31.28 ± 5.15 (range:19–47)

Length of consumption (years) (mean ± SD) 11.73 ± 4.52 (range: 3–25)

Daily dose of heroine (g) (mean ± SD) 1.04 ± 0.74 (range: 0.3–3.3)

Methadone dose (mg) (mean ± SD) 55.91 ± 26.71 (range: 15–125)

Previous MMT (number of treatments) 5.45 ± 2.14 (range 1–10) (40/82 of the patients) Previous hospitalizations (number of periods) 8.31 ± 6.06 (range: 1–30) (58/82 of the patients) Psychological counseling (number of meetings) 9.48 ± 10.48 (range 1–46)(33/82 of the patients)

Occupation (% of the patients) Unemployed 58.83; Employed 41.7

17

78

1000–30,000

Patients with poly-drug consumption (%) 52.5 (new psychoactive substances consumption, NPS in 58.14% of cases)

19.52 ± 4.35 (range: 11–33)

(37.8%); 31–35 years old (32.92%); 36–40 years old (14.63%); >

(31.7%); 26–30 years old (4.87%); >30 years old (2.44%)

Age category ≤ 20 years old (1.22%); 21–25 years old (9.75%); 26–30 years old

40 years old (3.66%) Age category at the onset of the consumption < 15 years old (12.2%); 15–20 years old (48.78%); 21–25 years old

6.51 ± 3.45 (range: 1–18)

The male/female ratio 10.71

Age at the onset of the consumption (years)

Length of consumption previous Methadone maintenance treatments (MMT) (years)

Problems with the law (damnation) (% of the

Way of consuming (i.v. since the onset) (% of the

Concentration of heroine metabolites in the urine

Patients with previous periods of abstinence (%) 24.4

**Table 1.** Characterization of the group under study.

Patients with comorbidities (Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, human immunodeficiency virus) (%)

(mean ± SD)

122 Drug Addiction

patients)

patients)

(ng/mL)

The data are in accordance with the official statistics at the national level, which show that the duration of the consumption previous to the first requirement of assistance is longer for the opiates, with an average of 7.4 years and a frequent value of 4 years [20]. The official reports also show that, even though there are beneficiaries who require some medical assistance after

addiction phenomenon.

**Figure 2.** Proportion of the patients according to the age at the beginning of the drug consumption.

less than a year, there is a slight growth of the period of demand of the specialized services: most of the beneficiaries who have never been admitted in the treatment, have required medical assistance after 3 years of drug consumption, comparative to the cases of relapse, in which most of the patients have demanded medical assistance after 2 years of drug consumption [20].

*4.1.4. Indicator: comorbidity*

previously hospitalized in Psychiatric Hospitals.

**Figure 3.** Proportion of the patients according to the duration of the consumption.

*4.1.5. Indicator: type of drug addiction*

A proportion of 70.7% of the target patients are proven to have the virus of the hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), or HIV. Some of the patients have declared the common use of the syringes, this being the explanation of their infection. Two of the patients have got cardiac arrhythmia and are under adequate treatment. Four of the patients have got post-injection thrombophlebitis. Two of them have received a recommendation of treatment with acenocoumarole. Some of the patients had different forms of psychic disturbances, ranging from anxious depression to personality disturbance of mixed type; three of these patients were

Methadone Treatment for Heroin Dependence http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78066 125

More than half of the patients of the target group are poly-drugaddicts (52.5%, 43/82), because they consume heroin and, occasionally, other types of drugs (frequently NPS, Cannabis or Ecstasy). Thus, the statistics on drug consumption show an important proportion of new psychoactive substances ("ethnobotanicals," like PUR, MAGIC, SPICE), marijuana and hashish in a context of chronic use of heroin. The consumption of ethno-botanicals is the most frequent, being reported by 58% of the patients with poly-drug consumption. It is also noted a relatively high incidence (nearly 20–30%) of psychostimulants use, for example types of

Regarding the category of age, the groups of ages between 26 and 30 years and 31–35 years are pinpointed as follows. We can notice that these groups of ages are distinctly different from the most frequent categories in case of the age at the onset of heroin use (15–20 years and 21–26 years.

#### *4.1.3. Indicator: occupation*

More than half of the patients (58.83%, 48/82) do not have an occupation, and the others have only a temporary occupation. Only one patient of the group has graduated a private faculty; all the others have graduated high or secondary school. Around 17% of the patients have legal antecedents, respectively detention, because they stole in order to get money for drugs.

Psychologically, the drug addicts have problems because they do not have a permanent job; on the other hand, they are not able to keep a permanent job, because the withdrawal and the relapses prevented them from doing it; it is a vicious circle with no break.

**Figure 3.** Proportion of the patients according to the duration of the consumption.
