Clinical significance of antinuclear antibodies, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies in heroin abusers.

Background: Different autoantibodies and immunologic abnormalities have been described in heroin abusers positive for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C virus, as well as in addicts with negative viral markers.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of different autoantibodies in heroin addicts.

Methods: We studied 10 heroin addicts (8 males and 2 females aged 18-30 years) with a mean duration of heroin abuse of 46.