Outcome and characteristics of patients in methadone maintenance program depending on whether they are or not drug consumption room users

Abstract

Introduction

In January 2012, a drug consumption room (DCR) opened in an outpatient treatment center for alcoholism and drug abuse (CADA) to reach people who inject drugs (PWID) who did not seek treatment.

Objectives/aims

To evaluate the characteristics and evolution of 76 patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) during a year in a CADA, depending on whether they are DCR users or nonusers.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted by reviewing data collected from patients in MMT during 2015, performing a statistical comparison between DCR users and nonusers. Outcome was evaluated through urine controls, considering a poor outcome when positive to heroin > 20%.

Results

Of the 76 patients in MMT, the average age was 40 years, 21% were women, mean dosage of methadone was 48.2 mg/day and more than a half were DCR users (52.63%). Of the 40 patients, which formed the DCR user subgroup, the average age was 36.4 years, 20% were women and mean dosage of methadone was 47 mg/day. The outcome of all the patients in PMM was successful in 48.68% of the cases, presenting differentially the nonusers a 91.67% of good response and the users only a 10%.

Conclusions

Inclusion of a drug consumption room in an outpatient treatment center for alcoholism and drug abuse, which facilitates accessibility for people who inject drugs to treatment, poses new challenges in order to improve the effectiveness of the PMM.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.