Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
09:16
A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
Treatment process and relapse to opioid use during methadone maintenance
G W Joe1, D D Simpson, S B Sells
1Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth.
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
|January 1, 1994
Summary
This study identifies key factors predicting opioid relapse during methadone maintenance treatment. Treatment events like dosage and monitoring, alongside client entry characteristics and staff specialization, significantly impact outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Opioid use disorder (OUD) presents a significant public health challenge.
- Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is a cornerstone of OUD management.
- Understanding factors influencing treatment success is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a general framework for studying drug abuse treatment process factors.
- To identify predictors of relapse to opioid use during MMT.
- To analyze the impact of client, program, and treatment event variables on treatment outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized proportional hazards models for outcome prediction.
- Analyzed data from 590 MMT clients across 21 clinics (Research Triangle Institute/Treatment Outcome Prospective Study).
- Classified clinics based on client relapse rates and treatment tenure.
Main Results:
- Relapse rates were associated with methadone dosage, urinalysis monitoring, and take-home privileges.
- Client characteristics at treatment entry predicted later treatment performance.
- Staff professional specialization in diagnosis and treatment planning correlated with client outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Time-varying treatment events are critical predictors of MMT outcomes.
- Client-specific factors at intake influence long-term success.
- The expertise of clinical staff plays a role in patient recovery trajectories.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:17Drug Dependence
Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
01:15Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
01:20Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
01:15Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
01:17Phase II Reactions: Methylation Reactions
Methylation is a phase II biotransformation process involving the attachment of a methyl group to a substrate. Enzymes known as methyltransferases orchestrate this reaction.
The mechanism of methylation unfolds in two stages. The first stage sees a methyltransferase enzyme facilitating the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to the substrate, forming S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). The second stage involves further metabolism of SAH into homocysteine, which can be recycled...
The mechanism of methylation unfolds in two stages. The first stage sees a methyltransferase enzyme facilitating the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to the substrate, forming S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). The second stage involves further metabolism of SAH into homocysteine, which can be recycled...