title: Psychiatric severity and treatment response in a comprehensive methadone maintenance treatment program.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the severity of concomitant psychiatric symptomatology on some selected measures of methadone maintenance treatment efficacy in a comprehensive methadone maintenance treatment program (MMTP). The cohort studied included 267 patients who entered a maintenance program in the years 1991-92. Two groups of patients differing in the severity of psychiatric symptomatology were obtained on the bases of the referral to the psychiatrist and the ascertainment of a current disorder. These two groups were compared for retention in treatment, urine tests positive for morphine while in treatment and methadone dose during an observation period of 2 years. The outcome of the study suggests that on these outcome parameters, patients on MMTP who are more psychiatrically ill can perform as well as the other patients.
authors.affiliation: Drug Addiction Service, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Trogu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agus
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone