Remission rates of patients with opioid use disorder who got naltrexone implantation: A retrospective study

Background: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a public health issue worldwide with chronic and relapsing course. Antagonist pharmacotherapies such as naltrexone implantations seem to be promising. The current study aimed to investigate the remission rates of patients with OUD who got naltrexone implantation. Methods: This study was conducted by retrospectively scanning health records. Sociodemographic (e.g., age, gender, marital status, job status) and clinical data (e.g., age of first substance use, duration of opioid use disorder, treatment history, and retention duration after naltrexone implantation) were collected. Our hospital's ethics committee ethically approved the study. Results: Patients (n=92) stayed in retention for 11.44 (+/- 10.64) months. Based on multiple Poisson regression analyses, the duration of the "longest period of not using heroin" was the predictor of "post-implantation remission duration". Continuation to substance use while implantation treatment and polydrug use were found to decrease the retention duration. Conclusions: Extended-release naltrexone is effective in managing OUD.