Efficacy of Topiramate as an Adjunct Medication in Heroin Withdrawal: a Randomized Control Trial

Objective: To compare the efficacy of Topiramate in reducing Heroin withdrawal symptoms in Iranian paients. Design: Double blind placebo-controlled trial. Place & Duration of Study: Study was conducted in Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Mashad, Iran in a period of two years i.e., 2006-07. Subjects & Methods: The study was carried out on 149 patients with Heroin dependency (74 in Topiramate group and 75 in Treatment as usual group) using 2 standard questionnaires for assessment of withdrawal symptoms, Subjective opiate withdrawal scale (SOWS) and objetive opiate withdrawal scale (OOWS). Information was analyzed by chi-square test for qualitative variables and T-test & Mann-Whitney for quantitative variables in SPSS software. Results: 22 subjects were excluded from the study. Both groups had no significant differences in age, sex, education, number of previous withdrawal and past history of other drug use. Results indicated decrease in objective withdrawal symptom, significant in 3rd (p=0.000), 5th (p=0.004) and 7th (p=0.026) day and subjective withdrawal symptom significant in 3rd (p=0.000) day in topiramate group. Conclusions: Our study showed that Topiramate can use for control of withdrawal symptom in patient with Heroin dependency.