Feasability and safety of transfer from racemic methadone to (R)-methadone in primary care: clinical results from an open study.

Abstract

Methadone is a proven first-line treatment in opioid dependence but few studies have addressed the efficacy of different isoforms of methadone or the transfer from one form to the other. This was a 4-week open study to examine the feasibility and safety of transfer from racemic methadone to (R)-methadone in primary care patients. A total of 1552 opioid-dependent patients formerly treated with racemic methadone were included and followed for 4 weeks after transfer to (R)-methadone. There were few drop-outs, and 1426 patients (91.9%) completed the 4-week transfer period. There were few adverse events or side effects and no deaths occurred during treatment. The number of drug-positive urine screens decreased from 61.2 to 39.8%. Withdrawal symptoms, craving and compliance improved significantly after transfer to (R)-methadone. We conclude that transfer from racemic to (R)-methadone is a safe and practical procedure.

• Authors: Michael Soyka, Christina Zingg
• Journal: The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (World J Biol Psychiatry) Vol. 10 Issue 3 Pg. 217-24 ( 2009) ISSN: 1814-1412 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19629858 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Narcotics
• Methadone

Topics

• Adult
• Feasibility Studies
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Methadone (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Narcotics (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Opioid-Related Disorders (drug therapy, rehabilitation)
• Patient Compliance (statistics & numerical data)
• Primary Health Care (methods)
• Prospective Studies
• Stereoisomerism
• Substance Withdrawal Syndrome (drug therapy, rehabilitation)