title: Loss of treatment benefit when heroin-assisted treatment is stopped after 12 months.
abstract: In 2013, during a recent heroin-assisted treatment trial, participants in heroin-assisted treatment (HAT) decreased significantly more their street heroin use than participants in oral methadone treatment. After the trial, HAT was discontinued. To examine whether the treatment benefits were sustained three months after the trial, the use of street heroin by the participants was analyzed in a follow-up study.
  
  
  
  At the follow-up assessment, street heroin use increased in the experimental group. The two groups no longer showed a significant difference (p=0.55) in the level of street heroin use.
  
  
  
  A predetermined and forced end of HAT was followed by a significant increase in the level of street level use.
authors: Institut des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Liège B31, Boulevard du Rectorat 7, B-4000, Liège, Belgium; Service de Psychiatrie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: isabelle.demaret@ulg.ac.be.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Demaret
authors: Service de Psychologie, Cognition et Comportement, Université de Liège B32, Boulevard du Rectorat 5, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Etienne
authors: E
authors: Quertemont
authors: Institut des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Liège B31, Boulevard du Rectorat 7, B-4000, Liège, Belgium; Service de Psychiatrie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Géraldine
authors: G
authors: Litran
authors: Institut des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Liège B31, Boulevard du Rectorat 7, B-4000, Liège, Belgium; Service de Psychiatrie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Cécile
authors: C
authors: Magoga
authors: Institut des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Liège B31, Boulevard du Rectorat 7, B-4000, Liège, Belgium; Service de Psychiatrie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Clémence
authors: C
authors: Deblire
authors: Service de Toxicologie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Nathalie
authors: N
authors: Dubois
authors: Service de Toxicologie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Corinne
authors: C
authors: Charlier
authors: Institut des Sciences Humaines et Sociales, Université de Liège B31, Boulevard du Rectorat 7, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: André
authors: A
authors: Lemaitre
authors: Service de Psychiatrie, CHU, Domaine Universitaire du Sart-Tilman B35, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Ansseau
mesh_terms: D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D003932:Heroin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin; D008691:Methadone
keywords: Diacetylmorphine; Heroin-assisted treatment; Substitution treatment; Treatment duration