High doses of buprenorphine in one-day opium detoxification: Clinical trial

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of high doses of buprenorphine prescription in one day was compared with the usual method. In a double-blind trial, 40 patients with the diagnosis of opioid dependence [based on DSM- IV criteria] were randomly assigned into two groups. 20 patients received 12 mg of buprenorphine intramuscularly in divided doses during one day long; 20 other patients were administered the usual decreasing doses of buprenorphine over five days. The followings were evaluated success rate in detoxification, treatment retention in days, intensity of subjective withdrawal symptoms, intensity of objective withdrawal symptoms, level of drug craving, level of adjuvant drug use, drug side-effects, rate of positive urine tests for opioid, and levels of hepatic enzymes. Data were analyzed via statistical X2, t, Mann-Whitney, and Fisher tests. There was no significant difference between the two groups across most variables. The only difference observed was when the most withdrawal symptoms were evident, which was in the initial part of detoxification for the one-day treatment group and also at the end of the period for the five days treatment group. To shorten the detoxification period, the one-day and high doses of buprenorphine treatment can be beneficial even though further evaluations with a larger sample may be required. However, the use of injectable buprenorphine is not recommended in routine clinical practice, because of its possible abuse and serious side effects