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Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of 1‐mg, 3‐mg, and 8‐mg/day doses of buprenorphine in the maintenance treatment of heroin‐dependent patients over a 12‐month treatment period. Subjects were allocated randomly to three dosage groups. Participants consisted of 123 male heroin dependents who met the DSM‐IV criteria for opioid dependence and were seeking treatment. Their mean age was 31.4 years ranging from 16 to 64 (SD=9.4). Subjects received buprenorphine at a dose of 1 mg, 3 mg, or 8 mg/day and were treated in an urban outpatient clinic, offering a 1‐h weekly individual counselling session. Days retained in treatment were measured. Overall, 49 patients (39.8%) completed the 12‐month study. Completion rates by dosage group were 7 (17.1)% for the 1‐mg dose group, 16 (39%) for the 3‐mg dose group, and 26 (63.4%) for the 8‐mg dose group. Retention in the 8‐mg dose group was significantly better than in the 1‐mg dose group (p=0.00002) and in the 3‐mg dose group (p=0.027); other comparison (1‐mg dose with 3‐mg dose) was also significant (p=0.027). The results support the efficacy and safety of buprenorphine for outpatient treatment of heroin dependence and seem to indicate that the highest dose (8 mg) of buprenorphine was the best of the three doses for Iranian heroin dependents to increase their retention in treatment.