Correlation between high methadone doses and methadone serum levels in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients

J Addict Dis. 2007;26(1):15-26. doi: 10.1300/J069v26n01_03.

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the relation between high methadone doses and methadone serum levels in MMT patients.

Design: One hundred fifty-one steady methadone-dose patients were evaluated for methadone serum levels using GCMS. Urine samples during the month prior to the study-day were analysed and defined as positive if any sample was positive for any drug.

Findings: Methadone dose correlated with methadone serum levels (Pearson R = 0.36, P < 0.0005). In 53 patients with no drug abuse, correlation was stronger (R = 0.53, P < 0.0005) than in 98 patients with any drug abuse (R = 0.25, P = 0.01).

Conclusions: We extended the well-established correlation between methadone doses and serum levels in patients receiving low or moderate (60 to 120 mg/day) to high methadone doses (up to 290 mg/day).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analgesics, Opioid / urine
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Prescriptions / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Methadone / administration & dosage
  • Methadone / blood*
  • Methadone / therapeutic use*
  • Narcotics / administration & dosage
  • Narcotics / blood*
  • Narcotics / therapeutic use*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / blood*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / epidemiology
  • Substance Abuse Detection / methods

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Narcotics
  • Methadone