Ngo HTT, Arnold-Reed DE, Hansson RC, Tait RJ, Hulse GK. Blood naltrexone levels over time following naltrexone implant.
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2008;
32:23-8. [PMID:
17651881 DOI:
10.1016/j.pnpbp.2007.06.007]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2006] [Revised: 06/08/2007] [Accepted: 06/08/2007] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS
Oral naltrexone is used in the management of both heroin and alcohol dependence. However, poor compliance has limited its clinical utility. The study's objective was to determine the period of therapeutic coverage (>or=2 ng/ml) provided by a 3.3 g naltrexone subcutaneous implant compared with existing data on 1.1 g and 2.2 g implants.
METHODS
We assessed free blood naltrexone levels following treatment with a 3.3 g naltrexone implant in heroin dependent patients (n=50) in Perth, Western Australia. Results were compared with previously collated data for patients treated with either a 1.1 g (n=10) or 2.2 g (n=24) implant.
RESULTS
Following 3.3 g naltrexone implant treatment, free blood naltrexone levels remained above 2 ng/ml for 145 days (95% CI 125-167). In comparison, 1.1 g or 2.2 g implant treatment resulted in 95 days (95% CI 69-121) and 136 days (95% CI 114-158) coverage, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
The 3.3 g implant provides longer therapeutic coverage than the 1.1 g implant but not significantly longer than the 2.2 g implant.
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