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Nine‐year follow‐up of 86 consecutive patients treated with methadone in general practice, Sydney, Australia
Author(s) -
BYRNE ANDREW
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/713659314
Subject(s) - methadone , heroin , medicine , abstinence , methadone maintenance , heroin addiction , anesthesia , pediatrics , psychiatry , drug
Abstract The status of 86 consecutive heroin addicted patients who presented for methadone treatment to an inner‐city Sydney general practice in 1987 and 1988 was sought in 1996, using patients' files and official records; follow‐up information was obtained for 79 patients (92%) after a mean period of 8.6 ± 0.5 years. The mean age at intake was 29 years, patients having used heroin for a mean of 8.5 ± 5.1 years (range 1–25). By 1996, 35 (41%) of the 86 patients had remained in continuous treatment. Successful withdrawal from opioids including methadone for a period of 3 months or more was reported by 31 patients (36%) for a mean of 36 months (range 3–84) with 10 of these returning to methadone treatment after prolonged periods of abstinence. Eight patients (9%) died, four from drug overdose. Five patients (6%) who had left treatment were reportedly using street heroin. Seven patients (8%) could not be traced. The most conservative interpretation of these patients' reports is that 56% of the original 86 were well and functional at follow‐up. The most optimistic interpretation was that 81% of patients were doing well 9 years later. This study confirms the benefits of methadone maintenance while also demonstrating the serious nature of heroin addiction.