Cochrane · systematic review · CD011117

Opioid agonist treatment for people who are dependent on pharmaceutical opioids

Nielsen, S, Tse, WC, Larance, B · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2022 · Cochrane Library

Drugs and Alcohol2 versionsAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
10
current version
GRADE rated
10
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 2 · 20%Low 6 · 60%Moderate 2 · 20%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Show all 2 versions

Full opioid agonists versus different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine) for maintenance

Population: people dependent on pharmaceutical opioids
5 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Illicit opioid use
Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)
no estimate extracted1 study · 129 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Illicit opioid use
Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)
RR 0.81 [0.57, 1.17]3 studies · 206 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Illicit opioid use
Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)
RR 0.49 [0.28, 0.86]3 studies · 165 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Retention
Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)
RR 1.21 [1.02, 1.43]4 studies · 379 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency
Adverse effects
Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)
RR 0.45 [0.09, 2.41]3 studies · 206 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision

Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance versus placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment as usual)

Population: pharmaceutical opioid dependent people
5 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Days of unsanctioned opioid use (as number of days/30 or days/7)
Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance vs placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment
SMD 0.193 studies · 205 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness
Self‐reported opioid use at treatment completion
Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance vs placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment
RR 0.63 [0.39, 1.01]4 studies · 276 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, indirectness
Opioid use
Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance vs placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment
RR 0.66 [0.52, 0.84]4 studies · 270 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, indirectness
Retention: proportion of participants retained in treatment
Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance vs placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment
RR 3.02 [1.73, 5.27]4 studies · 333 participantsModerate
Downgraded: inconsistency
Adverse events
Full or partial opioid agonist maintenance vs placebo, detoxification only or psychological treatment (buprenorphine maintenance compared to taper or treatment
RR 0.5 [0.07, 3.48]3 studies · 252 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency