Chronic Pain and Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Opioid Dependent Injection Drug Users

ABSTRACT

It is unknown whether infection with hepatitis C is a risk factor for pain among people who have used injection drugs. Multivariate regression was used to determine whether hepatitis C was associated with greater likelihood of reporting significant chronic pain and discomfort intolerance in a cohort of 97 injection drug users dependent on opioids. Study results suggest that participants with hepatitis C may be more likely to experience chronic pain (aOR = 1.98; 95% confidence interval = 0.76 to 5.12, p= 0.16). Furthermore, hepatitis C was found to be associated with a higher discomfort intolerance scale score, reflecting intolerance to physical discomfort (β= 2.34; 95% confidence interval = 0.06 to 4.62; p= 0.04). Hepatitis C may be a cause for chronic pain and discomfort intolerance that is overlooked among injection drug users dependent on opioids.

KEYWORDS:

• Hepatitis C virus
• injection drug use
• chronic pain
• pain hypersensitivity

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse DA 022207, Clinical Trial # NCT 00475878. Dr. Stein is a recipient of a NIDA Mid-Career Award DA 000512. Dr. Tsui is a recipient of a NIDA Career Development Award K23 DA027367.