Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
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.
Findings/Key points
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.
Design/methods
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.
