TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects/therapeutic use
KW - Drug Users/psychology
KW - Feasibility Studies
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - Humans
KW - India
KW - Male
KW - Medical Records
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Opiate Substitution Treatment/adverse effects/methods
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/diagnosis/psychology/rehabilitation
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Time Factors
KW - Tramadol/adverse effects/therapeutic use
KW - Treatment Outcome
AU - S. Sarkar
AU - R. Lal
AU - M. Varshney
AU - Y. P. S. Balhara
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tramadol is an opioid agonist which can be potentially used for maintenance treatment of patients with opioid use disorders. This chart review presents the characteristics of individuals with an ICD 10 diagnosis of opioid dependence who were maintained on tramadol for a period of at least 6 months. METHODS: Records of patients seeking treatment for opioid dependence from the outpatient clinic of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, Ghaziabad, India were screened. One hundred consecutive patients who received tramadol for more than 6 months were included. RESULTS: The sample comprised exclusively of males and had a mean age of 40.9 years. The median dose of tramadol at initiation and continuation was 300 mg/day. Sixty-two patients achieved complete abstinence during the course of treatment. Greater age, longer duration of opioid use, and better follow-up adherence were associated with abstinent status. The rates of abstinence were higher among those presenting with natural opioid use as compared to others (prescription opioid use or heroin use). CONCLUSION: Tramadol can be an alternative medication for harm reduction in select group of patients with opioid dependence. Further research is required to strengthen the evidence base of rational use of tramadol for maintenance treatment of patients with opioid dependence.
AD - Department of Psychiatry and NDDTC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.; Department of Psychiatry and NDDTC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.; Department of Psychiatry and NDDTC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.; Department of Psychiatry and NDDTC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
BT - Journal of opioid management
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 5
CY - United States
IS - 5
JF - Journal of opioid management
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tramadol is an opioid agonist which can be potentially used for maintenance treatment of patients with opioid use disorders. This chart review presents the characteristics of individuals with an ICD 10 diagnosis of opioid dependence who were maintained on tramadol for a period of at least 6 months. METHODS: Records of patients seeking treatment for opioid dependence from the outpatient clinic of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, Ghaziabad, India were screened. One hundred consecutive patients who received tramadol for more than 6 months were included. RESULTS: The sample comprised exclusively of males and had a mean age of 40.9 years. The median dose of tramadol at initiation and continuation was 300 mg/day. Sixty-two patients achieved complete abstinence during the course of treatment. Greater age, longer duration of opioid use, and better follow-up adherence were associated with abstinent status. The rates of abstinence were higher among those presenting with natural opioid use as compared to others (prescription opioid use or heroin use). CONCLUSION: Tramadol can be an alternative medication for harm reduction in select group of patients with opioid dependence. Further research is required to strengthen the evidence base of rational use of tramadol for maintenance treatment of patients with opioid dependence.
PP - United States
PY - 2017
SN - 1551-7489; 1551-7489
SP - 329
EP - 334
EP - 
T1 - Tramadol for maintenance in opioid dependence: A retrospective chart review
T2 - Journal of opioid management
TI - Tramadol for maintenance in opioid dependence: A retrospective chart review
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 29199398
VL - 13
VO - 1551-7489; 1551-7489
Y1 - 2017
Y2 - Sep/Oct
ER -