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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2011, 13, 3 (pages: 5 - 16)

Therapeutic management and comorbidities in opiate-dependent patients undergoing a replacement therapy programme in Spain: the PROTEUS study

Roncero C., Fuste G., Barral C., Rodríguez-Cintas L., Martínez-Luna N., Eiroa-Orosa F. J., Casas M., On Behalf of the Proteus Study Investigators

Summary: The aim of this study was to comprehensively describe the clinical comorbidities, concomitant treatments and the current therapeutic management of opiate-dependent patients undergoing a replacement therapy programme(RTP). This is an observational, cross-sectional, multicentre, epidemiological study conducted in 74 healthcare centres for drug users. Patients were diagnosed with Opiate Dependence (OD), and enrolled in a RTP in Spain (N=624). Most patients were men (84%); they received methadone (94%) at a mean dose of 61.52mg/day during the maintenance phase, orally (95%) with take-home doses (76%). High rates of infectious (59%) and psychiatric comorbidities (67%) were found. Patients infected by HIV, HCV or coinfected by HIV/HCV were given significantly higher methadone doses (p<0.0001).