Methadone treatment in Iranian opiate addicts: a preliminary report.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate the initial dosage of methadone and factors affecting it in maintenance therapy.


METHODS
This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 157 individuals referring to a methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) clinic. The initial dosage of methadone was 20-45 mg which was adjusted during the treatment based on each patient's evaluation. Three groups were formed according to methadone dosage (less than 30 mg, between 30-50 mg, and more than 50 mg).


RESULTS
Significant relations were observed between increased methadone dosage in the initial phase and marital status (P = 0.03), injection (P = 0.03), medical comorbidity (P = 0.009), and borderline personality disorder (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies with larger sample size and including the history of previous detoxification, substance abuse, omission of self-recording, evaluation of women's addiction and MMT program performance with counseling support should be performed.
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Mahin
M
Eslami Shahrbabaki
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Hassan
H
Ziaaddini
Associate Professor, Research Center of Modeling in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Ali Akbar
AA
Hagh Doost
Resident, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Mahdi
M
Ghasemi
Ministry of Health and Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Parvin
P
Eslami Shahrbabaki
Research Assistant, Research Center of Modeling in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Roghayeh
R
Alizadeh Nouri
Ministry of Education, Tehran, Iran.
Nasrin
N
Eslami Shahrbabaki
Addiction; Methadone; Personality disorder