Buprenorphine as a Pharmacotherapy for Opiate Addiction: What Dose Provides a Therapeutic Response?

The authors used pharmacological response criteria to determine the therapeutic dose range of buprenorphine for the treatment of opiate dependence. One hundred consecutively admitted patients with opiate addiction were followed for 16 weeks while receiving a daily (double‐blinded) buprenorphine dose between 4 mg and 32 mg. Pharmacological response was operationalized as a composite score reflecting urine toxicology, clinic attendance, and withdrawal or toxicity symptomatology. A total of 34 subjects met pharmacological response criteria at an average daily dose of 14.6 ± 6.5 mg; thus the therapeutic dose was somewhat higher than that used in recent efficacy studies. (American Journal on Addictions 1996; 5:220–230)