Objectives: To document changes in prescribing practice at a specialized substance misuse service in the UK occurring since the introduction of the 1999 UK National Guidelines on the management of drug misuse, and to explore a possible link between the length of time spent in methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and the dosage prescribed.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of a computerized prescription database between 1996 and 2002 obtained from Sheffield Care Trust Substance Misuse Service was performed. The relationship between various measures of dosage and the length of time spent in MMT was investigated.
Results: In accordance with the 1999 UK National Guidelines, the proportion of injectable methadone prescribed decreased from 22% to 16%. This was offset by an increase in the prescribing of methadone elixir from 74% to 79%. The 'maximum dose' of methadone prescribed correlated significantly with patient retention, explaining 14% of the variation in time spent in MMT.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that publication of the UK National Guidelines had a measurable effect on prescribing practice at the Service. We found that a higher methadone dose is associated with increased patient retention in MMT. However, as only a maximum of 14% of the variation in the length of stay is related to methadone dose, the importance of other aspects of treatment such as counselling and rehabilitation programmes, should be considered for the successful treatment of opioid abusers.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2710.2006.00767.x | DOI Listing |
Subst Use Misuse
January 2025
Defense Personnel and Security Research Center, Peraton, Seaside, California, USA.
Background: This study investigated relationships between low-income adolescent drinkers' frequent alcohol use and five factors: social disorganization, social structural, social integration, mental health, and access to healthcare.
Objective: A sample of 1,256 low-income adolescent drinkers and caregivers were extracted from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study.
Results: Logistic regression yielded results showing adolescent drinkers' weekly drinking to be associated positively with Hispanic adolescents, drinking peers, adolescents' depression/anxiety, and caregiver's daily drinking.
J Clin Med
January 2025
Psychopharmacology, Drug Misuse and Novel Psychoactive Substances Research Unit, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB, UK.
Alkyl nitrites are a class of inhalant, commonly known as 'poppers'. Although having medical uses, some other effects include a 'rush', 'high', 'euphoria', or feeling of excitement. This has led to their recreational use, in different scenarios, since the mid-1960s.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
January 2025
Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Alcohol is the second-most misused substance after tobacco. It has been identified as a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and 5.3% of all deaths and is associated with significant behavioral, social, and economic difficulties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
January 2025
Legal Medicine, Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid widely used for its potent analgesic effects in chronic pain management and intraoperative anesthesia. However, its high potency, low cost, and accessibility have also made it a significant drug of abuse, contributing to the global opioid epidemic. This review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of fentanyl's medical applications, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and pharmacogenetics while examining its adverse effects and forensic implications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
January 2025
Center for Community-Engaged Medicine, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
We report the results of a scoping review of the literature investigating associations between positive childhood experiences (PCEs) and selected health outcomes to identify which have the highest level of research activity based on the indexed academic literature. Yielded articles underwent title/abstract (Ti/Ab) and full text screening utilizing inclusion/exclusion criteria. The review was guided by PCE categories from the Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences framework: relationships, environment, engagement, and emotional growth.
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