Premium
Males and Females Differ in Response to Opioid Agonist Medications
Author(s) -
Jones Hendree E.,
Fitzgerald Heather,
Johnson Rolley E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1080/10550490590949569
Subject(s) - buprenorphine , methadone , medicine , opioid , agonist , anesthesia , clinical trial , receptor
Few clinical trials include sex as a factor. This analysis explored within‐sex differences in response to opioid agonist medications. Males and females randomly assigned to buprenorphine, LAAM, or methadone were compared on opioid use and retention in treatment. Females receiving buprenorphine had less objective drug use than females receiving methadone, while males receiving LAAM had less objective drug use than males receiving buprenorphine. Retention in treatment was longer for both sexes receiving methadone versus LAAM. Within‐subject change results indicate that all three medications benefit both sexes. Clinical trials should be designed to examine the impact of sex on outcomes.