Improved Strategies for Outpatient Opioid Detoxification

Summary

The investigators will randomize 210 opioid-dependent participants to one of two outpatient detoxification strategies: (1) a standard 7-day buprenorphine induction and gradual taper from 8 mg to 0 mg vs. (2) 7-day oral naltrexone induction; both groups will receive a single administration of a Vivitrol injection: at Day 8 for the naltrexone induction group and Day 15 for the buprenorphine group. The naltrexone arm is a modification of our current inpatient naltrexone induction procedure, consisting of a single day of buprenorphine followed by a washout day and 4 days of ascending oral naltrexone doses, prior to administering a dose of injectable naltrexone on Day 8. All participants will receive an intensive behavioral therapy for five weeks and will be followed for the subsequent 8 weeks to assess the longer-term outcome of the initial treatment. The primary outcome will be percentage of patients in each group successfully inducted onto Vivitrol. Key secondary outcomes will be 2-week abstinence at Weeks 4-5 (3rd and 4th weeks after Vivitrol injection), rates of completion of the 8-day detoxification, and percentage of patients in each group who return for additional Vivitrol injections in post-study follow-up. The main goal of this Stage 1a pilot study is to develop an improved outpatient opioid detoxification strategy, with particular relevance to newly diagnosed heroin addicts and prescription opioid abusers not seeking long-term agonist maintenance.

Specific Aim #1: To develop procedures for outpatient opioid detoxification which include naltrexone to facilitate detoxification.

Specific Aim #2: To compare injectable naltrexone induction rates between the naltrexone and buprenorphine groups following short-term outpatient opioid detoxification approach for initiating treatment for opioid dependence.

Conditions

• Opioid Dependence

Interventions

DRUG

oral naltrexone

Following detoxification with buprenorphine (one dy of 8 mg) followed by oral naltrexone (ascending taper to 25 mg), participants will receive Vivitrol injection on Day 8. Behavioral therapy sessions will be offered for five weeks.

DRUG

Buprenorphine

Following detoxification with buprenorphine \[8-mg buprenorphine (Day 1) tapering to 0 mg (Day 7)\] participants will receive Vivitrol injection on Day 15. Behavioral therapy sessions will be offered for five weeks.

DRUG

Vivitrol

dose of long-acting injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol 380 mg i.m. Injection)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• New York State Psychiatric Institute

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Adam Bisaga, M.D. · Columbia University and NYSPI

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-06-30

Primary Completion

2017-12-31

Completion

2017-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations