[Experience of using injectable formulation of buprenorphine for the detoxification treatment of heroin dependence patients].

Forty-four heroin dependence patients took detoxification treatment in Fukko-kai Tarumi Hospital from October 1998 to April 2008 (total of 80 admissions). Injectable formulation of buprenorphine (0.2 mg) was used intramuscularly to relieve withdrawal symptoms from October 2002. In the initial phase, small dosage of buprenorphine (0.4 mg per day) was dispensed but obvious effects were not confirmed. Therefore, the dosage was increased to 0.6 mg (3 ampoules), possibly more for 27 patients (total of 53 admissions) from October 2005. While treatment was interrupted by various reasons in 6 patients (total of 10 admissions), the rest completed detoxification. Dosage of buprenorphine given to the patients varied from 0.6 mg (3 ampoules) to 1.6 mg (8 ampoules) per day, and only 4 patients required over 1.0 mg. While duration of administration ranged from 5 days to 15 days, it was between 7 days and 10 days in over the half cases. When sufficient amount of buprenorphine was administered, severity and duration of heroin withdrawal symptoms was distinctly reduced. Since the introduction of heroin detoxification with buprenorphine, number of patients who request the treatment voluntarily increased including those who relapsed, but the length of hospital stay was shortened. One patient rejected buprenorphine injection for unknown reason and one patient left the hospital because of insufficient effect due to insufficient amount of buprenorphine dose, serious adverse effect was not observed. Detoxification treatment with buprenorphine cannot ensure sustained abstinence but can motivate heroin-using patients to receive treatment and strive for abstinence.