High methadone dose significantly reduces cocaine use in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether effective methadone treatment affects cocaine use.


METHODS
421 consecutive patients admitted to a methadone maintenance clinic in Israel (1993-2002) were prospectively studied. Patients' urine samples were analyzed for cocaine during months 1 and 13.


RESULTS
On admission 55(13.1%) of 421 patients had urine positive for cocaine and 366 had negative. Of the 55 cocaine-positive patients, 45(81.8%) stayed in treatment at least one year, as did 267(73%) of cocaine-negative. After one year (n=312) 31 of 45 cocaine users stopped and 25 of 267 started. Methadone dose was highest in 31 patients who stopped cocaine (176.1+/-42.1 mg/ day), followed by 14 who did not stop (161.4+/-37.5 mg/day), and 25 who started during treatment (122.9+/-48.7 mg/day), or 242 who never used cocaine (119.5+/-48.4 mg/day) (ANOVA, F=15.6, p<0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
High methadone dose may reduce cocaine use in patients addicted to both heroin and cocaine.
Peles
Einat
E
Dr. Miriam & Sheldon G. Adelson Clinic for Drug Abuse, Treatment & Research, Tel-Aviv Elias Sourasky Medical Center, 1 Henrietta Szold St, Tel-Aviv, 64924, Israel.
Kreek
Mary Jeanne
MJ
Kellogg
Scott
S
Adelson
Miriam
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000652:urine; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D003042:Cocaine; D008691:Methadone