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Evaluation of the opioid addiction test in an out-patient drug dependency unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

A. H. Ghodse ,
J. L. Greaves  and
D. Lynch
A. H. Ghodse*
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
J. L. Greaves
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
D. Lynch
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
*
Professor A. H. Ghodse, Department of Addictive Behaviour and Psychological Medicine. St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE
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Abstract

Background

The opioid addiction test is based on the measurement of pupil dilatation in opioid-dependent people in response to conjunctivally applied naloxone hydrochloride. A positive response (pupil dilatation) indicates that the subject is dependent on opioids.

Aims

To evaluate the test in an out-patient setting and to identify factors affecting its outcome.

Method

Pupil size was measured using binocular pupillometry in 100 new patients attending an out-patient clinic for assessment and treatment of opioid use. Measurement was repeated 40 minutes after the unilateral instillation of naloxone drops into the conjunctival sac.

Results

We performed 127 tests, of which 103 (81.1%) were positive. Males, and those not on methadone at the time of the test, were more likely to have a negative test result.

Conclusions

The opioid addiction test proved to be a very useful tool for the rapid diagnosis of opioid dependence in the out-patient clinic. Specialist pupillometric equipment increases the number of patients correctly identified as opioid-dependent on the first visit, but is not essential.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 175 , Issue 2 , August 1999 , pp. 158 - 162
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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