Outpatient Low-Dose Initiation of Buprenorphine for People Using Fentanyl

Original research
par
Suen, Leslie W. et al

Date de publication

2025

Géographie

USA

Langue de la ressource

English

Texte disponible en version intégrale

Oui

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Oui

Évalué par des pairs

Yes

L’objectif

The rise of high-potency opioids such as fentanyl makes buprenorphine initiation challenging due to the risks of precipitated withdrawal, prompting the exploration of strategies, such as low-dose initiation (LDI) of buprenorphine.

Constatations/points à retenir

This study included 126 adults across 175 low-dose initiation (LDI) attempts. Of this, only 60 attempts (34%) were successful in LDI of buprenorphine. No significant differences were found between protocol type (4-day vs 7-day), and buprenorphine retention rates were low.

La conception ou méthodologie de recherche

This cohort study analyzed data on adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) who self-reported daily fentanyl use and underwent buprenorphine initiation using LDI. Data were extracted from the electronic health records of two treatment clinics in San Francisco, California, from May 2021 to November 2022.

Mots clés

Housing
Illegal drugs
Overdose
Outcomes
Substitution/OAT
Treatment/recovery