Every-other-day acetylmethadol disturbs circadian cycles of human motility.
1-Alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) maintenance treatment has been proposed as a favorable alternative to methadone maintenance. With an unobtrusive actometer we recorded two successive 24-h cycles of spontaneous motor activity from 12 patients receiving LAAM every other day, and from five receiving methadone every day. LAAM patients were about 50% more active on days of drug administration than on no-dose days (P less than 0.001). There were no significant day-to-day differences in motility of methadone patients. LAAM administered every other day may significantly modify the human circadian rhythm of spontaneous motility; further research is thus needed before this treatment is widely adopted.
D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008692:Methadyl Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D008692:Methadyl Acetate; D008691:Methadone