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Personal viewpoint on opioid agonist therapy and transplantation
Author(s) -
Ivkovic Ana,
Wakeman Sarah
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
american journal of transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.89
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1600-6143
pISSN - 1600-6135
DOI - 10.1111/ajt.15109
Subject(s) - medicine , buprenorphine , opioid use disorder , methadone , transplantation , discontinuation , intensive care medicine , opioid , (+) naloxone , organ transplantation , psychiatry , receptor
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is an increasing public health problem. Transplant centers worldwide are being confronted with increasing numbers of patients with opioid use disorder and end stage organ disease. Opioid agonist therapy (OAT; ie, methadone, buprenorphine, and buprenorphine/naloxone) is a scientifically proven, effective, physician‐prescribed treatment for OUD. Although data in transplant populations remain limited, studies suggest that OAT does not appear to negatively affect graft or patient survival. Policies that require discontinuation of OAT for purposes of listing or transplantation contradict the evidence base for efficacy of OAT. Additional prospective outcomes studies on OAT and transplantation are needed. In the meantime, centers should not be asking patients to come off these effective treatments.