The effectiveness of combined naloxone/lofexidine in opiate detoxification: results from a double-blind randomized and placebo-controlled trial.
The efficacy of lofexidine/naloxone was compared with lofexidine/placebo in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 89 opiate-dependent patients. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the proportion of patients completing detoxification or in the length of stay. Patients in the active naloxone group demonstrated gradual reductions in levels of withdrawal and craving over the detoxification period. At completion of detoxification, patients who received naloxone maintained a level of withdrawal consistently lower than that in the placebo group; however, naloxone did not substantially accelerate the resolution of the withdrawal syndrome. Implications for future research are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009270:Naloxone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000187:drug effects; D011346:Prochlorperazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D003000:Clonidine; D003975:Diazepam; D008691:Methadone; C025655:lofexidine; D011346:Prochlorperazine