Innovations in agonist maintenance treatment of opioid-dependent patients

Current Opinion in Psychiatry

Volumn 19, Issue 6, 2006, Pages 631-636

  Haasen, Christian ^a   Van Den Brink, Wim ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER HAMBURG EPPENDORF   (Germany)

^b UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM   (Netherlands)

Author keywords

Buprenorphine; Diamorphine; Maintenance treatment; Methadone; Opioid dependence; Slow release morphine

Indexed keywords

ACETYLMETHADOL; BUPRENORPHINE; CODEINE; DIAMORPHINE; ILLICIT DRUG; METHADONE; MORPHINE; NALOXONE; OPIATE;

AGONIST; COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS; DAY CARE; DOSE CALCULATION; DRUG COST; DRUG INFORMATION; DRUG LABELING; DRUG MEGADOSE; DRUG USE; DRUG WITHDRAWAL; FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION; HUMAN; LOW DRUG DOSE; MAINTENANCE DRUG DOSE; MAINTENANCE THERAPY; METHADONE TREATMENT; OPIATE ADDICTION; PREGNANT WOMAN; PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY; QUALITY OF LIFE; REVIEW; RISK REDUCTION; SLOW DRUG RELEASE; THERAPY EFFECT; THIRD TRIMESTER PREGNANCY; TORSADE DES POINTES; WITHDRAWAL SEIZURE; WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME;

BUPRENORPHINE; CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS; CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS AS TOPIC; DELAYED-ACTION PREPARATIONS; HEROIN; HUMANS; METHADONE; MORPHINE; NARCOTICS; OPIOID-RELATED DISORDERS; QUALITY OF LIFE;

EID: 33749474575     PISSN: 09517367     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/01.yco.0000245759.13997.9d     Document Type: Review

References (82)

1. Paraherakis A, Charney DA, Palacios-Boix J, Gill K. An abstinence-oriented program for substance use disorders: poorer outcome associated with opiate dependence. Can J Psychiatry 2000; 45:927-931.
2. O'Connor PG. Methods of detoxification and their role in treating patients with opioid dependence. JAMA 2005; 294:961-963.
3. Kerr T, Marsh D, Li K, et al. Factors associated with methadone maintenance therapy use among a cohort of polysubstance using injection drug users in Vancouver. Drug Alcohol Depend 2005; 80:329-335.
4. van den Brink W, van Ree J. Pharmacological treatments for heroin and cocaine addiction. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2003; 13:476-487.
5. Mattick RP, Breen C, Kimber J, Davoli M. Methadone maintenance therapy versus no opioids replacement therapy for opioid dependence (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003; (2):CD002209.
6. Mattick RP, Kimber J, Breen C, Davoli M. Buprenorphine maintenance versus placebo or methadone maintenance for opioid dependence (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003; (2):CD002207.
7. Clark N, Lintzeris N, Gijsbers A, et al. LAAM maintenance versus methadone maintenance for heroin dependence (Cochrane Review.) Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002; (2):CD002210.
8. Faggiano F, Vigna-Taglianti F, Versino E, Lemma P. Methadone maintenance at different dosages for opioid dependence (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003; (3):CD002208.
9. Farré M, Mas A, Torres M, et al. Retention rate and illicit opioid use during methadone maintenance interventions: a meta-analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2002; 65:283-290.
10. Johnson RE, Chutuape MA, Strain EC, et al. A comparison of levomethadyl acetate, buprenorphine, and methadone for opioids dependence. N Engl J Med 2000; 343:1290-1297.
11. White JM, Danz C, Kneebone J, et al. Relationship between LAAM-methadone preference and treatment outcomes. Drug Alchohol Depend 2002; 66:295-301.
12. Kinlock TW, Battjes RJ, Schwartz RP, The MTC Project Team. A novel opioid maintenance program for prisoners: preliminary findings. J Subst Abuse Treat 2002; 22:141-147.
13. Tomasino V, Swanson AJ, Nolan J, Shuman H. The Key Extended Entry Program (KEEP): a methadone program for opiate-dependent inmates. Mt Sinai J Med 2001; 68:14-20.
14. European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA). EMEA public statement on the recommendation to suspend the marketing authorisation for Orlaam (Levoacethylmethadol) in the European Union. EMEA/8776/01. London, 19 April 2001.
15. Schwetz BA. From the Food and Drug Administration. JAMA 2001; 285:2705 http://www/fda/gov.
16. Vocci FJ, Acri J, Elkashef A. Medication development for addictive disorders: the state of the science. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162:1432-1440. Overview of the development of pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders. Knowledge on neurobiological mechanisms of addiction has led to novel medications that will need to be tested in confirmatory trials.
17. Kleber H. Pharmacologic treatments for heroin and cocaine dependence. Am J Addict 2003; 12 (Suppl 2):S5-S18.
18. Preston KL, Umbricht A, Epstein DH. Methadone dose increase and abstinence reinforcement for treatment of continued heroin use during methadone maintenance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2000; 57:395-404.
19. Strain EC, Bigelow GE, Liebson IA, Stitzer ML. Moderate- versus high-dose methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence: a randomized trial. JAMA 1999; 281:1000-1005.
20. Gerra G, Ferri M, Polidori E, et al. Long-term methadone maintenance effectivenenss: psychosocial and pharmacological variables. J Subst Abuse Treat 2003; 25:1-8.
21. Donny EC, Brasser SM, Bigelow GE, et al. Methadone doses of 100 mg or greater are more effective than lower doses at suppressing heroin self-administration in opioid-dependent volunteers. Addiction 2005; 100:1496-1509.
22. Amato L, Davoli M, Perucci C, et al. An overview of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of opiate maintenance therapies: available evidence to inform clinical practice and research. J Subst Abuse Treat 2005; 28:321-329. Summary of five Cochrane reviews on substitution maintenance treatment that confirms that methadone treatment at appropriate dose is the most effective treatment for opioid dependence.
23. Amato L. Minozzi S, Davoli M, et al. Psychosocial combined with agonist maintenance treatments versus agonist maintenance treatments alone for treatment of opioid dependence (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004; (4):CD004147.
24. McLellan AT, Arndt LO, Methger DS, et al. The effects of psychosocial services in substance abuse treatment. JAMA 1993; 269:1953-1959.
25. Schwartz RP, Highfield DA, Jaffe JH, et al. A randomized controlled trial of interim methadone maintenance. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2006; 63:102-109. This controlled trial shows that interim methadone maintenance increases the likelihood of entry into comprehensive treatment, while also reducing heroin use and criminal behavior. Therefore, methadone maintenance can serve as a more effective alternate to waiting lists, which will have major healthcare implications and can reduce the overall burden of opioid dependence.
26. Anderson JF, Warren LD. Client retention in the British Columbia methadone program. Can J Public Health 2004; 95:104-109.
27. D'Aunno T, Pollack HA. Changes in methadone treatment practices: results from a national panel study. JAMA 2002; 288:850-856.
28. Schifano P, Bargagli AM, Belleudi V, et al. Methadone treatment in clinical practice in Italy: need for improvement. Eur Addict Res 2006; 12:121-127.
29. Peles E, Schreiber S, Adelson M. Factors predicting retention in treatment: 10-year experience of a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinic in Israel. Drug Alcohol Depend 2006; 82:211-217.
30. Termorshuizen F, Krol A, Prins M, et al. Prediction of relapse to frequent heroin use and the role of methadone prescription: an analysis of the Amsterdam Cohort Study among drug users. Drug Alcohol Depend 2005; 79:231-240.
31. Donny EC, Walsh SL, Bigelow GE, et al. High-dose methadone produces superior opioid blockade and comparable withdrawal suppression to lower doses in opioid-dependent humans. Psychopharmacology 2002; 161:202-212.
32. Krantz MJ, Lewkowiez L, Hays H, et al. Torsade de Pointes associated with very high-dose methadone. Ann Intern Med 2002; 137:501-504.
33. Pearson EC, Woosley RL. QT prolongation and Torsades de Pointes among methadone users: reports to the FDA spontaneous reporting system. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2005; 14:747-753.
34. Kraft MK, Rothbard AB, Hadley TR, et al. Are supplementary services provided during methadone maintenance really cost-effective? Am J Psychiatry 1997; 154:1214-1219.
35. Avants SK, Margolin A, Sindelar JL, et al. Day treatment versus enhanced standard methadone services for opioid-dependent patients: a comparison of clinical efficacy and cost. Am J Psychiatry 1999; 156:27-33.
36. Sung S, Conry JM. Role of buprenorphine in the management of heroin addiction. Ann Pharmacother 2006; 40:501-505. This review analyzes the potential advantage of buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence. As maintenance treatment, no advantage can be found compared with methadone, but in the management of withdrawal buprenorphine may be better tolerated.
37. Auriacombe M, Franques P, Tignol J. Deaths attributable to methadone vs buprenorphine in France. JAMA 2001; 285:45.
38. Fiellin DA, Pantalon MV, Pakes JP, et al. Treatment of heroin dependence with buprenorphine in primary care. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2002; 28:231-241.
39. O'Connor PG, Oliveto AH, Shi JM, et al. A pilot study of primary-care-based buprenorphine maintenance for heroin dependence. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 1996; 22:523-531.
40. Fudala PJ, Bridge TP, Herbert S, et al. Office-based treatment of opiate addiction with a sublingual-tablet formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone. N Engl J Med 2003; 349:949-958.
41. Duburcq A, Charpak Y, Blin P, Madec L. Two years follow-up of a heroin users cohort treated with high dosage buprenorphine. Results of the SPESUB Study (pharmacoepidemiological follow-up of general practice Subutex). Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 2000; 48:363-373 (French with English abstract).
42. Fiellin DA, Kleber H, Trumble-Hejduk JG, et al. Consensus statement on office-based treatment of opioid dependence using buprenorphine. J Subst Abuse Treat 2004; 27:153-159.
43. Varescon I, Vidal-Trecan G, Nabet N, Boissonnas A. Buprenorphine deviated from normal use: the buprenorphine injection. Encephale 2002; 28:397-402 (French with English abstract).
44. Stoller KB, Bigelow GE, Walsh SL, Strain EC. Effects of buprenorphine/naloxene in opioid-dependent humans. Psychopharmacology 2001; 154:230-242.
45. Sigmon SC, Moody DE, Nuwayser ES, Bigelow GE. An injection depot formulation of buprenorphine: extended bio-delivery and effects. Addiction 2006; 101:420-432.
46. Barnett PG, Zaric GS, Brandeau ML. The cost-effectiveness of buprenorphine maintenance therapy for opiate addiction in the United States. Addiction 2001; 96:1267-1278.
47. Caplehorn J, Deeks JJ. A critical appraisal of the Australian comparative trial of methadone and buprenorphine maintenance. Drug Alcohol Rev 2006; 25:157-160.
48. Dolan KA, Shearer J, MacDonald M, et al. A randomised controlled trial of methadone maintenance treatment versus wait list control in an Australian prison system. Drug Alcohol Depend 2003; 72:59-65.
49. Dolan KA, Shearer J, White B, et al. Four-year follow-up of imprisoned male heroin users and methadone treatment: mortality, re-incarceration and hepatitis C infection. Addiction 2005; 100:820-828. The study shows the efficacy of prison-based methadone maintenance treatment with respect to reduction of mortality, re-incarceration rates and hepatitis C infection.
50. Haig T. Randomized controlled trial proves effectiveness of methadone maintenance treatment in prison. Can HIV AIDS Policy Law Rev 2003; 8:48.
51. Heimer R, Catania H, Newman RG, et al. Methadone maintenance in prison: evaluation of a pilot program in Puerto Rico. Drug Alcohol Depend 2006; 83:122-129.
52. Fischer B, Rehm J, Kirst M, et al. Heroin-assisted treatment as a response to the public health problem of opiate dependence. Eur J Public Health 2002; 12:228-234.
53. Rehm J, Gschwend P, Steffen T, et al. Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of injectable heroin description for refractory opioid addicts: a follow-up study. Lancet 2001; 538:1417-1420.
54. Perneger TV, Giner F, del Rio M, Mino A. Randomised trial of heroin maintenance for addicts who fail in conventional drug treatments. BMJ 1998; 317:13-18.
55. Wodak A. The Swiss heroin trials. Further studies of heroin treatment are needed. BMJ 1998; 317:1011.
56. Farrell M, Hall W. The Swiss heroin trials: testing alternative approaches. BMJ 1998; 316:639.
57. Ali R, Auriacombe M, Casas M. Report of the external panel on the evaluation of the Swiss scientific studies of medically prescribed narcotics to drug addicts. Sucht 1999; 45:160-170.
58. van den Brink W, Hendriks VM, van Ree JM. Medical co-prescription of heroin to chronic, treatment-resistant methadone patients in the Netherlands: a randomized clinical trial. J Drug Issues 1999; 29:587-608.
59. van den Brink W, Hendriks VM, Blanken P, et al. Medical prescription of heroin to chronic, treatment-resistant heroin dependent patients: two randomized controlled trials. BMJ 2003; 327:310-312.
60. Central Committee on the Treatment of Heroin Addicts (CCBH). Medical co-prescription of heroin: two randomised controlled trials. Utrecht: CCBH; 2002 (http://www.ccbh.nl).
61. Blanken P, Hendriks VM, Koeter MW, et al. Matching of treatment-resistant heroin dependent patients to medical prescription of heroin or oral methadone treatment: results from two randomized controlled trials. Addiction 2005; 100:89-95. Analyzing the data of two randomized clinical trials on HAT, the study shows that the effect of HAT is not dependent on clinical characteristics, but is most effective for patients who previously participated in abstinence-orientated treatment.
62. Dijkgraaf MG, van der Zanden BP, de Borgie CA, et al. Cost utility analysis of co-prescribed heroin compared with methadone maintenance treatment in heroin addicts in two randomised trials. BMJ 2005; 330:1297-1302. Heroin-assisted treatment for chronic, treatment-resistant heroin addicts has been shown to be more effective, but is also associated with higher program costs compared with methadone maintenance treatment. The study shows that coprescription of heroin in the treatment of opioid dependence is cost-effective compared with treatment with methadone alone. From a public health perspective, the introduction of HAT is worthwhile from a clinical and economic point of view.
63. March JC, Oviedo-Joekes E, Perea-Milla E, et al. Controlled trial of prescribed heroin in the treatment of opioid addiction. J Subst Abuse Treat (in press).
64. Verthein U, Haasen C. Result of a heroin study in Germany [in German]. Suchtmedizin 2006; 8:78.
65. Schechter MT. NAOMI - her time has come. North American Opiate Medication Initiative. J Urban Health 2002; 79:164-165.
66. Ferri M, Davoli M, Perucci CA. Heroin maintenance for chronic heroin dependents (Cochrane Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2005; (2):CD003410.
67. Bammer G, van den Brink W, Gschwend P, et al. What can the Swiss and Dutch trials tell us about the potential risks associated with heroin prescribing? Drug Alcohol Rev 2003; 22:363-371.
68. Nordt C, Stohler R. Incidence of heroin use in Zurich, Switzerland: a treatment case register analysis. Lancet 2006; 267:1830-1834.
69. Frick U, Rehm J, Kovacic S, et al. A prospective cohort study on orally administered heroin substitution for severely addicted opioid users. Addiction (in press).
70. Krausz M, Verthein U, Degkwitz P, et al. Maintenance treatment of opiate addicts in Germany with medications containing codeine - results of a follow-up study. Addiction 1998; 93:1161-1167.
71. Kraigher D, Jagsch R, Gombas W, et al. Use of slow-release oral morphine for the treatment of opioid dependence. Eur Addict Res 2005; 11:145-151.
72. Mitchell TB, White JM, Somogyi AA, Bochner F. Slow-release morphine versus methadone: a crossover comparison of patient outcomes and acceptability as maintenance pharmacotherpaies for opioid dependence. Addiction 2004; 99:940-945.
73. Vasilev GN, Alexieva DZ, Pavlova RZ. Safety and efficacy of oral slow release morphine for maintenance treatment in heroin addicts: a 6-month open noncomperative study. Eur Addict Res 2006; 12:53-60.
74. Eder H, Jagsch R, Kraigher D, et al. Comparative study of the effectiveness of slow-release morphine and methadone for opioid maintenance therapy. Addiction 2005; 100:1758-1759.
75. Giacomuzzi S, Kemmler G, Erlt M, Riemer Y. Opioid addicts at admission vs slow-release oral morphine, methadone, and sublingual buprenorphine maintenance treatment participants. Subst Use Misuse 2006; 41:223-244.
76. Österreichisches Bundesinstitut für Gesundheitswesen. Suchtgiftbezogene Todesfälle, 2004. Vienna: ÖBIG Verlag; 2006.
77. Alford DP, Compton P, Samet JH. Acute pain management for patients receiving maintenance methadone or buprenorphine therapy. Ann Intern Med 2006; 144:127-134.
78. Lingford-Hughes AR, Welch S, Nutt DJ, British Association for Psychopharmacology. Evidence-based guidelines for the pharmacological management of substance, misuse, addiction and comorbidity: recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharmacol 2004; 18:293-335.
79. Drozdick J, Berghella V, Hill M, Kaltenbach K. Methadone trough levels in pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002; 187:1184-1188.
80. Yoast R, Williams MA, Deitchman SD, Champion HC. Report of the Council on Scientific Affairs: methadone maintenance and needle-exchange programs to reduce the medical and public health consequences of drug abuse. J Addict Dis 2001; 20:15-40.
81. Schottenfeld RS, Chawarski MC, Pakes JR, et al. Methadone versus buprenorphine with contingency management or performance feedback for cocaine and opioid dependence. Am J Psychiatry 2005; 162:340-349.
82. Petry NM. Methadone plus contingency management or performance feedback reduces cocaine and opiate use in people with drug addiction. Evid Based Ment Health 2005; 8:112.