title: The effectiveness of opioid substitution treatments for patients with opioid dependence: a systematic review and multiple treatment comparison protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Opioids are psychoactive analgesic drugs prescribed for pain relief and palliative care. Due to their addictive potential, effort and vigilance in controlling prescriptions is needed to avoid misuse and dependence. Despite the effort, the prevalence of opioid use disorder continues to rise. Opioid substitution therapies are commonly used to treat opioid dependence; however, there is minimal consensus as to which therapy is most effective. Available treatments include methadone, heroin, buprenorphine, as well as naltrexone. This systematic review aims to assess and compare the effect of all available opioid substitution therapies on the treatment of opioid dependence.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors will search Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Cochrane Clinical Trials Registry, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Portal, and the National Institutes for Health Clinical Trials Registry. The title, abstract, and full-text screening will be completed in duplicate. When appropriate, multiple treatment comparison Bayesian meta-analytic methods will be performed to deduce summary statistics estimating the effectiveness of all opioid substitution therapies in terms of retention and response to treatment (as measured through continued opioid abuse).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using evidence gained from this systematic review, we anticipate disseminating an objective review of the current available literature on the effectiveness of all opioid substitution therapies for the treatment of opioid use disorder. The results of this systematic review are imperative to the further enhancement of clinical practice in addiction medicine.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  PROSPERO CRD42013006507.
authors.forename: Brittany Burns
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naji
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bawor
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varenbut
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Daiter
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plater
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pare
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Worster
authors.forename: Dipika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Samaan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. thabanl@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Lehana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thabane
mesh_terms: D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069479:Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination; D003932:Heroin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009270:Naloxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012107:Research Design; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic
chemical_list: D000069479:Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D002047:Buprenorphine; D009271:Naltrexone; D003932:Heroin; D008691:Methadone