[Buprenorphine or methadone for detoxification of young opioid addicts?]

Abstract

Objective: Comparison of buprenorphine vs. methadone to determine which medication is better for the detoxification of young opioid addicts.

Method: 93 consecutive opioid-dependent patients (ICD-10) from an in-patient detoxification unit for adolescents were investigated, of which 42 chose buprenorphine and 51 chose methadone for detoxification. Both groups did not differ with regard to different sociodemographic and addiction-specific variables such as age, gender, initiation of drug consumption and duration of opioid intake.

Results: 23.5 % of the methadone patients and 38.1 % of the buprenorphine patients finished detoxification successfully, in addition the buprenorphine patients finished detoxification 1.62 days earlier. There was no significant difference concerning these items.

Conclusion: Buprenorphine seems to be at least as effective as methadone for opioid withdrawal in young addicts.