Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33643851›Full record

ArticleToxicology reports2021

Global DNA methylation levels in white blood cells of patients with chronic heroin use disorder. A prospective study.

Domniki Fragou, Mu-Rong Chao, Chiung-Wen Hu, Kakia Nikolaou, Leda Kovatsi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Toxicology reports, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 42% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Domniki FragouLaboratory of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Mu-Rong ChaoDepartment of Occupational Safety and Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Chiung-Wen HuDepartment of Public Health, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Kakia NikolaouAddiction Department IANOS, General Hospital of Thessaloniki 'G. Papanikolaou'-Psychiatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Leda KovatsiLaboratory of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki · GRChung Shan Medical University · TWG. Papanikolaou General Hospital · GR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIncreasing scientific evidence shows the significant role of epigenetic mechanisms in drug use disorder, abstinence and relapse. Studies on human subjects are limited compared to those on animals, for various reasons such as poly-substance abuse, high drop-out rate and technical difficulties.

objectivesOur goal was to evaluate whether a monitored abstinence period of 21 days could induce changes in global DNA methylation in chronic heroin users.

methodIn the current study, we present data on global DNA methylation on a set of 18 male patients with chronic heroin use disorder, carefully selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, who were hospitalized and closely monitored during a 21-day detoxification program, one of the few where no opioid agonist is administered. The participants were sampled twice, once upon enrolment to the program and once upon completion.

resultsAccording to our results, no difference in global DNA methylation was detected between samples collected upon enrolment and samples collected upon completion of the program.

conclusionThe findings of this study do not rule out the possibility that the 21-day abstinence period was not long enough to observe changes in global DNA methylation, or that abstinence induced site-specific methylation changes (but not global changes), that certainly merit further evaluation.

Indexed as

AbstinenceDetoxificationDNA methylationDrug use disorderHeroinOpioid

Identifiers

PMID33643851
PMCPMC7892979
OpenAlexW3127100116

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.