Opioid abuse and dependence are reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, resulting in a staggering number of overdose deaths and economic costs that exceed $56 billion annually. Medication-assisted therapies, such as buprenorphine (Suboxone) and methadone, represent the most efficacious treatments for opioid dependence. Office-based buprenorphine treatment is especially well positioned to provide a rapid response to the opioid crisis, particularly in rural areas where efforts to expand methadone clinics often face sizeable barriers and opioid-dependent patients are widely dispersed throughout a large geographic area. However, there has been increasing concern that these life-saving medications are severely underused. (Source: JAMA Psychiatry)

Opioid abuse and dependence are reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, resulting in a staggering number of overdose deaths and economic costs that exceed $56 billion annually. Medication-assisted therapies, such as buprenorphine (Suboxone) and methadone, represent the most efficacious treatments for opioid dependence. Office-based buprenorphine treatment is especially well positioned to provide a rapid response to the opioid crisis, particularly in rural areas where efforts to expand methadone clinics often face sizeable barriers and opioid-dependent patients are widely dispersed throughout a large geographic area. However, there has been increasing concern that these life-saving medications are severely underused. (Source: JAMA Psychiatry)

Conclusions
There was no clinically meaningful impact of boceprevir on methadone or buprenorphine pharmacokinetics, suggesting that methadone/buprenorphine dose adjustments are not required upon coadministration with boceprevir. Individual patients may differ in their clinical experience and clinicians should maintain vigilance when coadministering these medications. (Source: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)

Conclusions
There was no clinically meaningful impact of boceprevir on methadone or buprenorphine pharmacokinetics, suggesting that methadone/buprenorphine dose adjustments are not required upon coadministration with boceprevir. Individual patients may differ in their clinical experience and clinicians should maintain vigilance when coadministering these medications. (Source: European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)

Conclusions:
Gambling participation of the OST patients seemed to be somewhat similar compared with the Finnish general population, but gambling problems were more common among OST patients. Gender and age may not be very strong indicators of risk while screening problem gamblers among OST patients. Institution of a problem gambling screening program is recommended, and additional intervention for gambling problems should be implemented for that need as a part of OST. (Source: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy)

Conclusions:
Gambling participation of the OST patients seemed to be somewhat similar compared with the Finnish general population, but gambling problems were more common among OST patients. Gender and age may not be very strong indicators of risk while screening problem gamblers among OST patients. Institution of a problem gambling screening program is recommended, and additional intervention for gambling problems should be implemented for that need as a part of OST. (Source: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy)

Conclusions
Severe and moderate hepatic impairment significantly increased exposure of naloxone and to a lesser extent of buprenorphine. Therefore, buprenorphine/naloxone combination products should generally be avoided in patients with severe hepatic impairment and may not be appropriate for patients with moderate hepatic impairment. However, buprenorphine/naloxone products may be used with caution for maintenance treatment in patients with moderate hepatic impairment who have initiated treatment on a buprenorphine product without naloxone [Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01846455] (Source: Clinical Pharmacokinetics)

Conclusions
Severe and moderate hepatic impairment significantly increased exposure of naloxone and to a lesser extent of buprenorphine. Therefore, buprenorphine/naloxone combination products should generally be avoided in patients with severe hepatic impairment and may not be appropriate for patients with moderate hepatic impairment. However, buprenorphine/naloxone products may be used with caution for maintenance treatment in patients with moderate hepatic impairment who have initiated treatment on a buprenorphine product without naloxone [Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT01846455] (Source: Clinical Pharmacokinetics)

CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating prescription opioid-dependent patients after 2 weeks of buprenorphine-naloxone treatment may help determine the likelihood of successful outcome at completion of the current treatment regimen.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00316277.
PMID: 25562462 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry)

CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating prescription opioid-dependent patients after 2 weeks of buprenorphine-naloxone treatment may help determine the likelihood of successful outcome at completion of the current treatment regimen.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00316277.
PMID: 25562462 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry)