Lessons learned from a comparison of evidence-based research in pregnant opioid-dependent women.

Objectives: Lessons learned in research and treatment of opioid dependence demonstrate the need to include pregnant women in clinical trials.

Methods: Two double-blind, double-dummy, randomized controlled trials (Pilot study, European sample(†) of MOTHER-trial) comparing buprenorphine and methadone in opioid-dependent pregnant women were conducted. In both studies, participants received voucher-based incentives for attendance and completion of study assessments.

Influence of site differences between urban and rural American and Central European opioid-dependent pregnant women and neonatal outcome characteristics.

Background: Multi-center trials enable the recruitment of larger study samples, although results might be influenced by site-specific factors.

Methods: Site differences of a multi-center prospective double-blind, double-dummy randomized controlled trial (7 centers: Central Europe (Vienna)/USA (3 urban/3 rural centers)) comparing safety and efficacy of methadone and buprenorphine in pregnant opioid-dependent women and their neonates.

Results: Urban US women had the highest rate of concomitant opioid (p = 0.

Diencephalic serotonin transporter availability predicts both transporter occupancy and treatment response to sertraline in obsessive-compulsive checkers.

Background: To our knowledge, no studies have investigated the predictive value of central serotonin transporter (SERT) availability for treatment response to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study used brain imaging to examine the relationship between pretreatment SERT availability and transporter occupancy as well as treatment response by sertraline in patients displaying prominent behavioral checking compulsions (OC checkers).

Methods: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was used to measure thalamic-hypothalamic SERT availability with [(123)I]-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)-tropane in 28 nondepressed OC checkers at baseline and after 14 weeks of treatment with sertraline (175 mg daily).