['Cession of heroin use may be followed by a protracted-abstinence (PA) syndrome consisting of craving, negative mood, and physiological changes. PA symptoms have rarely been compared between drug-free and methadone-maintained former heroin users after similar lengths of heroin abstinence.', 'Seventy former heroin users were included in one of four groups: in day 15-45 of methadone maintenance therapy (short-term MMT), in month 5-6 of MMT (long-term MMT), opiate-free for 15-45 days after methadone-assisted heroin detoxification (short-term post-methadone), and opiate-free for 5-6 months after methadone-assisted heroin detoxification (long-term post-methadone). PA symptoms (negative mood, dyssomnia, somatization, and craving), and blood pressure and pulse were assessed pre- and post-neutral videotape and pre- and post-heroin videotape.', 'Dyssomnia and the total PA score were worst in short-term post-methadone participants, mood was best in long-term MMT participants, and cue-induced craving was least severe in long-term MMT participants. Blood pressure and pulse did not differ across groups.'] Does long-term methadone maintenance reduce protracted symptoms of heroin abstinence and cue-induced craving in Chinese heroin abusers?