A controlled trial of daily versus thrice-weekly buprenorphine administration for the treatment of opioid dependence

• Published in: Drug and alcohol dependence 2000-06, Vol.59 (3), p.223-233
• Main Authors: Pérez de los Cobos, José, Martin, Silvia, Etcheberrigaray, Alvaro, Trujols, Joan, Batlle, Fanny, Tejero, Antoni, Queraltó, Josep M, Casas, Miquel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis of Variance; Behavior, Addictive - drug therapy; Behavior, Addictive - urine; Biological and medical sciences; Buprenorphine; Buprenorphine - administration & dosage; Buprenorphine - blood; Double-Blind Method; Drug addictions; Drug dependency; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Narcotic Antagonists - administration & dosage; Narcotic Antagonists - blood; Opiates; Opioid dependence; Opioid-Related Disorders - drug therapy; Opioid-Related Disorders - urine; Prescribing; Thrice-weekly dosing; Toxicology; Treatment; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0376-8716; 1879-0046
• DOI: 10.1016/S0376-8716(99)00122-2

This study was aimed at determining whether thrice-weekly administration of buprenorphine is as effective as daily administration for treating opioid dependence. A total of 60 treatment-seeking opioid addicts were randomly assigned to take buprenorphine tablets sublingually either every day (8 mg) or thrice-weekly (16 mg on Mondays and Wednesdays and 24 mg on Fridays) over the course of a 12-week, double-blind, parallel trial. The buprenorphine dosing schedule had no significant effect on treatment retention. The rates of opioid-positive urine tests were significantly higher among those subjects who were given buprenorphine thrice weekly (58.5%) than among those who took it daily (46.6%). An analysis of the completers did not detect a significant effect of buprenorphine dosing schedule. The results obtained in our clinical trials indicate the advisability of daily doses of buprenorphine, at least at the beginning of a maintenance programme.