Key result
Methadone dose and serum levels did not correlate with QTc intervals, though 22 patients receiving >120 mg/day had prolonged or possibly prolonged QTc intervals.
Why the study?
Does methadone dose and serum level correlate with QTc interval prolongation in patients on methadone maintenance treatment?
Population
138 former heroin addicts in methadone maintenance treatment for a minimum of 100 days up to 10.7 years, 71%…
Design
Cross-sectional
Follow-up
2 +/- 0.4 years
Authors
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May warrant ECG monitoring in MMT patients; leaves open the clinical significance of observed QTc changes.
Cross-Sectional (n=138)
Does methadone dose and serum level correlate with QTc interval prolongation in patients on methadone maintenance treatment?
While methadone dose and serum levels did not linearly correlate with QTc overall, high doses (>120 mg/day) were associated with all cases of QTc prolongation >= 450 ms, suggesting a need for ECG monitoring at higher doses.
Peles et al. (2006) conducted a cross-sectional in Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in former heroin addicts (n=138). Methadone dose and serum level was evaluated on Corrected-QT intervals (QTc). Methadone dose and serum levels did not correlate with QTc intervals, though 22 patients receiving >120 mg/day had prolonged or possibly prolonged QTc intervals.
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