This study aimed to establish a buprenorphine regime suitable for the short-term management of out-patient heroin withdrawal using an open-label, single-group case series. Eighteen dependent injecting heroin users underwent an 8-day withdrawal episode with supervised dosing of sublingual Subutex tablets. Buprenorphine doses were titrated daily over a 5-day period. Fifteen subjects (83%) complet...

OBJECTIVES The only medication used sublingually in the neonate is buprenorphine for the treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Compared with morphine, buprenorphine reduces the length of treatment and length of hospitalization in neonates treated for NAS. The objective of this study was to characterize the stability of ethanolic buprenorphine for sublingual administration. METHODS ...

Based on its unique pharmacological profile, buprenorphine may produce less impairment in psychomotor and cognitive performance than methadone. However, the few studies that have investigated the performance effects of buprenorphine in opioid-abusing volunteers examined effects of single acute doses rather than effects of repeated dosing and included a very limited range of measures. The presen...

This is the first trial to compare the relationship of opioid plasma concentrations in methadone-versus buprenorphine-maintained subjects. Sixty subjects (19 females and 41 males) seeking treatment who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM-IV) criteria for opioid dependence were recruited and treated at the Drug Addiction Outpatient Clinic at the University of Vienna. Of these, ...

BACKGROUND Acute and chronic pain is prevalent in patients with opioid dependence. Lack of knowledge concerning the complex relationship between pain, opioid use, and withdrawal syndrome can account for the barriers encountered for pain management. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of sublingual (SL) buprenorphine for post-operative analgesia, compared with intravenous (IV) morph...

This study aimed to synthesize available evidence on the analgesic efficacy of buprenorphine in treating cancer pain and related adverse effects. We searched electronic databases for randomized controlled trials, assessing the efficacy of buprenorphine, regardless of delivery system. The primary endpoints were patient-reported 'pain intensity' and 'pain relief'. Statistical heterogeneity among ...

This study was designed to compare the neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in neonates of methadone and buprenorphine maintained pregnant opioid-dependent women and to provide preliminary safety and efficacy data for a larger multi-center trial. This randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, flexible dosing, parallel-group controlled trial was conducted in a comprehensive drug-treatment facility t...

AIMS To evaluate the efficacy and safety of methadone versus buprenorphine treatment in pregnant opioid-dependent women. DESIGN Randomized, double-dummy, double-blind, flexible-dosing comparison study. SETTING Addiction Clinic at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. PARTICIPANTS Eighteen women were assigned randomly to receive either methadone (n = 9) or buprenorphine (n = 9) during...

OBJECTIVE To present an analysis of the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA) and its impact on the practice of pharmacy. DATA SOURCES Statutes, codes, regulations, newspaper articles, journal articles; search of articles posted on MEDLINE identified using the search terms methadone, buprenorphine, treatment, opioid abuse, and opioid addiction. STUDY SELECTION Not applicable. DATA E...

This randomized clinical trial evaluated the relative efficacy of three buprenorphine dosing schedules. Opioid-dependent adults were randomly assigned to receive buprenorphine seven, 3 or 2 days per week for 24 weeks. Daily maintenance doses were 4, 8, 10, or 12 mg of the sublingual buprenorphine solution. Participants who attended the clinic daily received a maintenance dose of buprenorphine d...