title: Methadone versus buprenorphine in pregnant addicts: a double-blind, double-dummy comparison study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of methadone versus buprenorphine treatment in pregnant opioid-dependent women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, double-dummy, double-blind, flexible-dosing comparison study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Addiction Clinic at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen women were assigned randomly to receive either methadone (n = 9) or buprenorphine (n = 9) during weeks 24-29 of pregnancy. After dropouts, data were available from 14 cases (six in the methadone and eight in the buprenorphine group).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sublingual buprenorphine tablets (8-24 mg/day) or oral methadone solution (40-100 mg/day), with matched placebos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers: retention in treatment, urine toxicology and nicotine use. Neonates: Routine birth data, neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in severity and duration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was somewhat greater retention in the buprenorphine group but significantly lowered use of additional opioids in the methadone group (P = 0.047).Neonates: There was earlier onset of NAS in neonates born to the methadone (mean 60 hours) than to the buprenorphine groups (mean 72 hours after last medication); 43% did not require NAS-treatment with short treatment duration in both groups (mean 5 days).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study had limited power to detect differences but the trends observed suggest this kind of research is practicable and that further studies are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna MUW, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ortner
authors.forename: Klaudia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rohrmeister
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jagsch
authors.forename: Andjela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baewert
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aschauer
mesh_terms: D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D002047:Buprenorphine; D008691:Methadone