| Abstract | OBJECTIVE: Problems related to illegal amphetamine use have become a major public health issue in many developed countries. To date, evidence on the effectiveness of psychosocial treatments has remained modest, and no pharmacotherapy has proven effective for amphetamine dependence. METHOD: Individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for intravenous amphetamine dependence (N=53) were randomly assigned to receive aripiprazole (15 mg/day), slow-release methylphenidate (54 mg/day), or placebo for 20 weeks. The study was terminated prematurely due to unexpected results of interim analysis. An intention-to-treat analysis was used. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of amphetamine-positive urine samples. RESULTS: Patients allocated to aripiprazole had significantly more amphetamine-positive urine samples than patients in the placebo group (odds ratio=3.77, 95% CI=1.55-9.18), whereas patients who received methylphenidate had significantly fewer amphetamine-positive urine samples than patients who had received placebo (odds ratio=0.46, 95% CI=0.26-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Methylphenidate is an effective treatment for reducing intravenous drug use in patients with severe amphetamine dependence. |
| Authors | Jari Tiihonen, Kimmo Kuoppasalmi, Jaana Föhr, Pekka Tuomola, Outi Kuikanmäki, Helena Vorma, Petteri Sokero, Jari Haukka, Esa Meririnne
(Affiliation: Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, and the Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. jari.tiihonen at niuva.fi)
|
| Journal | The American journal of psychiatry
(Am J Psychiatry)
Vol. 164
Issue 1
Pg. 160-2
(Jan 2007)
ISSN: 0002-953X United States |
| PMID | 17202560
(Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
| Chemical References |
- Piperazines
- Placebos
- Quinolones
- Methylphenidate
- aripiprazole
- Amphetamine
|
| Topics |
- Adult
- Amphetamine
(urine)
- Amphetamine-Related Disorders
(drug therapy, urine)
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Methylphenidate
(therapeutic use)
- Piperazines
(therapeutic use)
- Placebos
- Quinolones
(therapeutic use)
- Severity of Illness Index
- Substance Abuse Detection
- Substance Abuse, Intravenous
(drug therapy, urine)
- Treatment Outcome
|
