[Results of urinary control analyses of narcotic addicts on methadone therapy. An evaluation in the county of ]rhus in 1993].

Urinary control results were evaluated for 230 drug addicts in methadone therapy in the county of Arhus for 1993. Nine point nine percent of the initial samples were positive for opiates, dropping to 5.9% for subsequent samples, suggesting that urinary control has consequences. Two point four percent of the initial samples were negative for methadone decreasing to 1.3% for later samples. Fifty percent were positive for cannabinols and 15-20% for benzodiazepines, whereas only 1.4% was positive for amphetamine. Looking at the serial pattern for the patients, it turned out that 41% had one or more samples positive for opiates during the methadone treatment period, and 14% were occasionally negative for methadone. For comparison, urine samples from 461 clients not in methadone treatment were also studied. A similar abuse pattern was recorded for these samples.