METHADONE VERSUS BUPRENORPHINE: DATA DETECTED FROM CALTANISSETTA SER.T

Abstract

In last years, heroin-addicted have exponentially increased: this has made it necessary to identify a pharmacological strategy as effective as possible. With this purpose, a statistical investigation was conducted in a sample of individuals, aged between 18 and 50. They were diagnosed and subjected to different treatments at Ser.T of Caltanissetta (Sicily-Italy) during the period 2013-2017. The analyzed patients were treated with three different pharmacological therapy: methadone 0.1%, methadone 0.5%, buprenorphine and suboxone. We obtained percentages of RESPONDERS, LOW RESPONDERS and NON RESPONDERS patients from data processing, based on used therapy. Considering pharmacological responses of the sample examined, it is possible to observe that the treatment with buprenorphine has led to 71.98% of RESPONDERS subjects, 23.52% of LOW RESPONDERS and 4.5% of NON RESPONDERS. Instead, the administration of methadone 0.1 % has produced 82.82% of RESPONDERS subjects, 11.08% of LOW RESPONDERS, 6.1% of NON RESPONDERS. The therapy with methadone 0.5% has resulted 88.98% of RESPONDERS subjects, 7.8% of LOW RESPONDERS, 3.22% of NON RESPONDERS.Finally, through the administration of suboxone, we obtained 86.34% of RESPONDERS subjects, 9.84% of LOW RESPONDERS and 3.82% of NON RESPONDERS. In conclusion,although it has emerged that treatment with methadone 0.5% is the most successful therapy, it is preferable to use suboxone. (except in relapsing subjects) since it has also produced a high number of RESPONDERS