Outpatient opiate detoxification treatment with buprenorphine - Preliminary investigation

In an open study design, 50 opioid-dependent subjects (DSM-IV: 304.0) were investigated in a gradual detoxification treatment with buprenorphine. The study was performed at the drug addiction outpatient clinic of the Department of General Psychiatry at the University of Vienna. Subjects had to contact the outpatient clinic on a daily basis and buprenorphine was administered according to their clinical status. Withdrawal symptoms were evaluated by applying the WANG scale. Urine samples were screened for drug toxicology to exclude additional consumption. In this investigation buprenorphine was applied sublingually in a free dosage scheme aimed at completing detoxification treatment within 10 days by reducing buprenorphine on a daily basis. A mean daily dosage of 2.3 mg buprenorphine was required by patients on day 1 of the treatment period. The highest mean daily buprenorphine dosage was given on day 2, followed by a daily reduction over the study period. The result of this open study design revealed that a gradual daily reduction of buprenorphine might be a successful alternative outpatient detoxification treatment in opioid-dependent subjects. Compliance was 70%, the reported and evaluated withdrawal symptoms during the study period were moderate.