title: Correlation between high methadone doses and methadone serum levels in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relation between high methadone doses and methadone serum levels in MMT patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-one steady methadone-dose patients were evaluated for methadone serum levels using GCMS. Urine samples during the month prior to the study-day were analysed and defined as positive if any sample was positive for any drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methadone dose correlated with methadone serum levels (Pearson R = 0.36, P < 0.0005). In 53 patients with no drug abuse, correlation was stronger (R = 0.53, P < 0.0005) than in 98 patients with any drug abuse (R = 0.25, P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We extended the well-established correlation between methadone doses and serum levels in patients receiving low or moderate (60 to 120 mg/day) to high methadone doses (up to 290 mg/day).
authors: Tel-Aviv Elias Sourasky Medical Center, 6, Weizman St, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Adelson
authors: Einat
authors: E
authors: Peles
authors: Gershon
authors: G
authors: Bodner
authors: Mary Jeanne
authors: MJ
authors: Kreek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone