Higher Buprenorphine Dose Increases Likelihood of Staying in Treatment
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Sept. 21, 2023 -- Patients initiating buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder who are prescribed a 24-mg dose are more likely to remain in treatment longer than those prescribed 16 mg, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in JAMA Network Open.
Laura C. Chambers, Ph.D., from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and colleagues estimated the association between buprenorphine dose and time to treatment discontinuation during a period of widespread fentanyl availability. The analysis included 6,499 patients initiating buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2020).
The researchers found that more than half of patients were prescribed a daily dose (16 mg or 24 mg) at initiation (16 mg: 50 percent; 24 mg: 10 percent). Nearly six in 10 patients (58 percent) discontinued buprenorphine treatment within 180 days (16 mg: 59 percent; 24 mg: 53 percent). Patients prescribed a dose of 16 mg had a greater risk for treatment discontinuation than those prescribed 24 mg (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20).
"The results of this study suggest that the value of higher buprenorphine doses than currently recommended needs to be considered for improving retention in treatment," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2023
Read this next
Considerable Gaps Seen in Provision of Effective Treatment for Opioid Addiction
TUESDAY, July 16, 2024 -- There are considerable gaps in provision of effective treatments for opioid use disorders (OUD) at U.S. substance use disorder (SUD) treatment...
Low Quantity of Opioids Used After ED Discharge for Acute Pain
MONDAY, July 15, 2024 -- For patients presenting with acute pain, the quantity of opioids consumed during two weeks after emergency department discharge is low and varies across...
More Than Half Do Not Know Primary Care Providers Can Treat Opioid Use Disorder
FRIDAY, July 12, 2024 -- Many people do not know that a primary care provider (PCP) can provide medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), according to a research letter published...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.