CANNABIS AND AMPHETAMINE USE IN PATIENTS ON BUPRENORPHINE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT
Date Issued
2023-05
Author(s)
Niko Bekarovski
Andon Chibishev
Abstract
Polydrug abuse is a known problem among patients on opioid maintenance treatment. Objective is
to assess the profile of patients on buprenorphine substitution treatment who use cannabis, amphetamine or cannabis and amphetamine in parallel. This study was conducted in 2021 year at University
Clinic for toxicology, Skopje and has a prospective cohort design that included 112 patients with opioid
use disorder on buprenorphine maintenance treatment.
The data were collected according to a previously designed self-administered questionnaire adapted
according to the “treatment demand indicator”. The following variables were analyzed: gender, age, duration
of opioid use disorder, route of administration, duration of buprenorphine treatment, buprenorphine
dose, cannabis and amphetamine use. The majority of patients were male (88.4%). The mean age of
patients was 38.7±4.3 years. The average duration of opioid use disorder was 16.8±6.8 years; the
duration of buprenorphine treatment was 6.3±3.3 years; buprenorphine dose was 12.5±4.9mg.
Parallel use of buprenorphine with cannabis was declared in 43.7% of the patients and they were significantly younger compared to others (p=0.014). A combination of buprenorphine with amphetamine
was used in 14.3% with significantly younger ages compared to others (p=0.003). Buprenorphine with
both cannabis and amphetamine was practiced in 15.2% of the patients. No significant correlation was
found between other variables of the studied group and the parallel use of cannabis and amphetamine.
Almost half of the patients on buprenorphine substitution treatment reported parallel use of cannabis.
The patients who declared parallel use of cannabis and amphetamines were of younger age compared
to others.
to assess the profile of patients on buprenorphine substitution treatment who use cannabis, amphetamine or cannabis and amphetamine in parallel. This study was conducted in 2021 year at University
Clinic for toxicology, Skopje and has a prospective cohort design that included 112 patients with opioid
use disorder on buprenorphine maintenance treatment.
The data were collected according to a previously designed self-administered questionnaire adapted
according to the “treatment demand indicator”. The following variables were analyzed: gender, age, duration
of opioid use disorder, route of administration, duration of buprenorphine treatment, buprenorphine
dose, cannabis and amphetamine use. The majority of patients were male (88.4%). The mean age of
patients was 38.7±4.3 years. The average duration of opioid use disorder was 16.8±6.8 years; the
duration of buprenorphine treatment was 6.3±3.3 years; buprenorphine dose was 12.5±4.9mg.
Parallel use of buprenorphine with cannabis was declared in 43.7% of the patients and they were significantly younger compared to others (p=0.014). A combination of buprenorphine with amphetamine
was used in 14.3% with significantly younger ages compared to others (p=0.003). Buprenorphine with
both cannabis and amphetamine was practiced in 15.2% of the patients. No significant correlation was
found between other variables of the studied group and the parallel use of cannabis and amphetamine.
Almost half of the patients on buprenorphine substitution treatment reported parallel use of cannabis.
The patients who declared parallel use of cannabis and amphetamines were of younger age compared
to others.
Subjects
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