[Predictive factors for patient maintenance on buprenorphine high dosage treatment: a naturalistic study in primary...

High dosage buprenorphine is actually the principal treatment for substitution medication in France. Clinical trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy of HD buprenorphine for narcotic addiction, but few data are published concerning the prognostic factors of treatment response in daily practice. A naturalistic study was performed in 1998. 200 generalist practitioners were recruited and 956 patients were included. Sociodemographic, medical and addiction history were collected. A quantitative socio-comportemental and medical indicator (SCMI) was performed. The psychometric properties of the SCMI were analyzed. Simple and multivariate analysis was performed. Patients with good social adjustment and past withdrawal are good responders to HD buprenorphine. Not treated psychiatric pathology was a prognostic factor associated with a relatively poor response to HD buprenorphine. A long duration of treatment (one year) and a clear therapeutic program were associated with good response.