The Effect of Buprenorphine on Methamphetamine Cravings (Iran)
BACKGROUND:
Methamphetamine
(METH) abuse and dependence present a major global problem. We investigated the
efficacy of adding buprenorphine in reducing METH cravings during treatment
with the Matrix program.
METHODS:
This was
a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial of 40 men between the age
of 18 and 40 years who were referred to the addiction treatment center at Noor
Hospital from December 2012 to September 2013. All of the selected subjects
participated in the Matrix program and were randomly assigned into 2 groups and
given either buprenorphine or a placebo. A 4-month intervention program with
buprenorphine or a placebo was arranged for each group. Demographic variables
of the 2 groups, descriptive indices from the cocaine craving
questionnaire-brief (CCQ-Brief), the ratio of urine tests positive for METH,
and the frequency of drug complications were regularly evaluated in both groups
every 2 weeks and, if not possible, by the third or fourth week. All analyses
were performed by SPSS20 using analysis of covariance, χ, and t tests.
RESULTS:
The
average of indices from the cocaine craving questionnaire-brief score, except
the 2 initial measurements, was significantly lower in the intervention group
in all measurements (P < 0.05). Apart from weeks 3 and 28, the ratio of
positive tests was significantly different in all measurements in both groups
(P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
Buprenorphine
augmentation, in comparison with the placebo, significantly reduced the craving
to use METH during treatment with the Matrix program.
- 1From the *Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, †Behavioral Sciences Research Center, School of Medicine, and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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