Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume 94, Issue 1 , Pages 12-18 , 1 April 2008

Erectile dysfunction in male heroin users, receiving methadone and buprenorphine maintenance treatment

  • Gianluca Quaglio

      Affiliations

    • Medical Service for Addictive Disorders, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Verona, Italy
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Medical Service for Addictive Disorders, University of Verona, Policlinico GB Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy. Tel.: +39 045 812 8296; fax: +39 045 812 8290.
  • ,
  • Fabio Lugoboni

      Affiliations

    • Medical Service for Addictive Disorders, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Verona, Italy
  • ,
  • Cristian Pattaro

      Affiliations

    • Unit of Genetic Epidemiology, Institute of Genetic Medicine, EURAC Research, Bolzano/Bozen, Italy
  • ,
  • Barbara Melara

      Affiliations

    • Medical Service for Addictive Disorders, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Verona, Italy
  • ,
  • G.I.C.S.

      Affiliations

    • Group for Scientific Co-operation Between Public Health Authority Centres for Drug Users, Italy
    • Members of GICS active in collecting data include: Roberta Ferrucci, Raffaele Lovaste (Trento); Giovanni Guescini, Anna Ancherani (S. Lazzaro, Bologna); Gianni Canzian, Assunta Russo (Gemona, Udine); Paolo Civitelli (Thiene, Vicenza); Matteo Giordano, Antonio D’Adduzio (Manfredonia, Bari); Claudio Comaschi, Chiara Pieri (Carpaccio, Bologna); Margherita Residori (Villafranca, Verona).
  • ,
  • Paolo Mezzelani

      Affiliations

    • Medical Service for Addictive Disorders, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Verona, Italy
  • ,
  • Don C. Des Jarlais

      Affiliations

    • Edmond de Rothschild Foundation Chemical Dependency Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City, United States

Received 12 June 2007 ,Revised 20 September 2007 ,Accepted 22 September 2007.

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 Funding for this study was provided by University of Verona. The University of Verona had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

PII: S0376-8716(07)00428-0

doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2007.09.025

Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume 94, Issue 1 , Pages 12-18 , 1 April 2008