What do systematic reviews say?

Lithium vs placebo

Lithium showed no clear difference in benzodiazepine discontinuation, end of intervention compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Pharmacological interventions for benzodiazepine discontinuation in chronic benzodiazepine users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.05 [0.86, 1.28]
  1 study · 230 participants
  Low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 184 participants
  Very low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 91 participants
  Very low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 256 participants
  Very low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 49 participants
  Very low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  4 studies · 330 participants
  Very low

Antagonist‐adrenergic combination vs adrenergic agonist

• Opioid antagonists with minimal sedation for opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 463 participants
  Very low

Buprenorphine vs methadone

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 82 participants
  Low

Rapid vs slow taper of buprenorphine dose

It is very uncertain whether rapid changes completion of withdrawal treatment − Outpatient compared with slow taper of buprenorphine dose (very low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.86 [0.44, 1.7]
  4 studies · 647 participants
  Very low

Rapid vs slow taper of buprenorphine dose

Rapid showed no clear difference in number abstinent at completion of dose taper − Inpatient compared with slow taper of buprenorphine dose (low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.81, 1.23]
  1 study · 40 participants
  Low

Rapid vs slow taper of buprenorphine dose

It is very uncertain whether rapid changes number abstinent at completion of dose taper − Outpatient compared with slow taper of buprenorphine dose (very low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.39, 2.24]
  4 studies · 619 participants
  Very low

Buprenorphine vs methadone

Buprenorphine showed no clear difference in completion of withdrawal treatment compared with methadone (moderate certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.04 [0.91, 1.2]
  5 studies · 457 participants
  Moderate

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

It is very uncertain whether buprenorphine changes mean peak withdrawal score, compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (very low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  6 studies · 521 participants
  Very low

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

Buprenorphine showed no clear difference in mean overall withdrawal score, with various methods of assessment compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (moderate certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  7 studies · 902 participants
  Moderate

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

Buprenorphine probably leads to higher mean days in treatment (with varying scheduled duration) compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (moderate certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  SMD 0.92 [0.57, 1.27]
  4 studies · 558 participants
  Moderate

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

It is very uncertain whether buprenorphine changes number experiencing adverse effects compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (very low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.93 [0.7, 1.26]
  3 studies · 493 participants
  Very low

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

Buprenorphine showed no clear difference in number with treatment stopped due to adverse effects compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.2 [0.04, 1.15]
  3 studies · 134 participants
  Low

Buprenorphine vs alpha2‐adrenergic agonists

Buprenorphine probably leads to higher number completing withdrawal treatment compared with alpha2‐adrenergic agonists (moderate certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.59 [1.23, 2.06]
  11 studies · 1264 participants
  Moderate

Rapid vs slow taper of buprenorphine dose

Rapid showed no clear difference in completion of withdrawal treatment − Inpatient compared with slow taper of buprenorphine dose (low certainty).

• Buprenorphine for managing opioid withdrawal 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.84, 1.18]
  2 studies · 60 participants
  Low

Digital intervention vs no intervention or minimal intervention

• Personalised digital interventions for reducing hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption in community‐dwelling… 2017 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  41 studies · 19241 participants
  Moderate