Buprenorphine microdosing regimen using transdermal buprenorphine patches to transition from methadone to buprenorphine
Thileepan Naren, Jon Cook, Paul MacCartney, Dean Membrey
Drug and Alcohol Review May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13826 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Patients at cohealth Innerspace community clinic undergoing transition from methadone to buprenorphine |
| Intervention | Transdermal buprenorphine patches |
| Dose | fixed-dose transdermal buprenorphine patch regimen |
| Topics | Microdosing |
| Key findings | A fixed-dose transdermal buprenorphine patch regimen enabled 23 of 32 patients to transition from methadone to sublingual or long-acting injectable depot buprenorphine in an outpatient setting, and all patients were retained in treatment regardless of transition success. The authors note the small sample size and call for further research to demonstrate effectiveness. |
Abstract
AbstractIntroductionThis case series records a cohort of patients treated with transdermal buprenorphine patches as part of a buprenorphine microdose induction protocol to transition from methadone to buprenorphine in a community setting. This has historically been a difficult process to manage in community settings and this case series explored a method to gradually manage this in an outpatient setting.MethodA retrospective file audit was conducted of the electronic medical records of cohealth Innerspace patients who had undergone buprenorphine microdose induction using transdermal patches. A total of 32 patients were identified.ResultsIn this case series 23 of the 32 patients successfully transitioned from methadone to sublingual or long‐acting injectable depot buprenorphine preparations utilising the transdermal buprenorphine microdosing technique. All patients in this case series regardless of the success of the transition were retained in treatment.Discussion and ConclusionsA fixed‐dose transdermal buprenorphine patch regimen enabled 23 of 32 patients in this case series transition from methadone to buprenorphine in an outpatient setting. Given the small sample size further research is required to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique.