The relationship of serum leptin and ghrelin levels wi̇th withdrawal and craving in patients with opioid use disorder

This study aims to investigate plasma levels of leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin during heroin withdrawal in patients with opioid use disorder hospitalized in the Akdeniz University Alcohol and Drug Addiction Research and Application Center with regard to the relationship of these levels with craving and their changes over time, and to compare these levels to those of a healthy control group. This study included 28 male patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria who were receiving inpatient rehabilitation. The control group included 28 healthy male volunteers with characteristics similar to the patient group, who had no history of substance abuse and psychiatric disorders in any period of their lives. Plasma leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin levels of the patients were measured three times throughout the study, by collecting blood on the first day, seventh day at the end of the detox, and the 21st day. Blood was collected only once from the control group to determine their plasma leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin levels. Our study did not determine any statistically significant differences between patients with opioid use disorder and healthy controls with regard to plasma leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin levels on the 1st, 7th, 21st days of withdrawal. Plasma levels of leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin did not have a statistically significant relationship with craving scores. This study does not support the hypothesis that plasma leptin, acyl ghrelin, and unacylated ghrelin levels are markers in those with opioid use disorder. However, further studies are warranted as studies on this topic are scarce.