Objective: The primary aim of this research was to assess whether individuals with obesity or opioid use disorder (OUD) exhibit altered levels of specific adipokines compared with healthy subjects.
Materials and Methods: A total of 90 participants were included (obesity group: 30, OUD group: 30, control group: 30).
Results: Participants in both the obesity and OUD groups exhibited significantly increased concentrations of resistin, chemerin, and omentin-1 (p<0.05). Conversely, apelin levels were substantially reduced in both groups compared to healthy controls (p=0.001). Notably, nesfatin-1 levels were significantly lower only in the OUD group relative to controls (p=0.005). No statistically significant difference in body mass index (BMI) was found between individuals with OUD and healthy subjects (p=0.619).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that obesity may share pathophysiological similarities with addiction. Therefore, obesity management should include psychological support. Additionally, considering the physiological roles of adipokine-related hormones, patients should be closely monitored for blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, lipolysis, inflammation, and clinical complications such as atherosclerosis.