Auricular acupuncture as an adjunct to opiate detoxification treatment: effects on withdrawal symptoms. 2009

Jennifer Bearn, and Anshul Swami, and Duncan Stewart, and Catherine Atnas, and Lisa Giotto, and Michael Gossop
Wickham Park House (Drug Dependence Unit), Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK. jenny.bearn@slam.nhs.uk

It was hypothesized that auricular acupuncture would lead to reduced severity of opiate withdrawal symptoms and craving when provided as an adjunct to methadone detoxification. The study used a randomized, placebo-controlled study design. The sample consisted of 83 drug misusers who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for opiate dependence. Daily measures of withdrawal severity and craving were taken using the Short Opiate Withdrawal Scale and an eight-item craving questionnaire. Urine screening was used as an objective assessment of treatment adherence. The study hypothesis was not confirmed. Auricular acupuncture had no effect upon withdrawal severity or craving when provided as an adjunct to a standard methadone detoxification treatment. The results are consistent with the findings of other studies that failed to find any effect of acupuncture in the treatment of drug dependence. The failure to find any clinical gains from the adjunctive use of auricular acupuncture during detoxification from opiates raises concerns about the widespread acceptance of this intervention.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008691 Methadone A synthetic opioid that is used as the hydrochloride. It is an opioid analgesic that is primarily a mu-opioid agonist. It has actions and uses similar to those of MORPHINE. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p1082-3) Amidone,Biodone,Dolophine,Metadol,Metasedin,Methaddict,Methadone Hydrochloride,Methadose,Methex,Phenadone,Phymet,Physeptone,Pinadone,Symoron,Hydrochloride, Methadone
D009293 Opioid-Related Disorders Disorders related to or resulting from abuse or misuse of OPIOIDS. Opiate Addiction,Opiate Dependence,Opioid Misuse,Opioid Use Disorder,Prescription Opioid Abuse,Prescription Opioid Misuse,Addiction, Opioid,Dependence, Opioid,Opiate Abuse,Opioid Abuse,Opioid Addiction,Opioid Dependence,Abuse, Opiate,Abuse, Opioid,Abuse, Prescription Opioid,Addiction, Opiate,Dependence, Opiate,Disorder, Opioid Use,Misuse, Opioid,Misuse, Prescription Opioid,Opiate Abuses,Opioid Abuse, Prescription,Opioid Abuses,Opioid Addictions,Opioid Dependences,Opioid Misuses,Opioid Related Disorders,Opioid Use Disorders,Opioid-Related Disorder,Prescription Opioid Abuses,Prescription Opioid Misuses
D009294 Narcotics Agents that induce NARCOSIS. Narcotics include agents that cause somnolence or induced sleep (STUPOR); natural or synthetic derivatives of OPIUM or MORPHINE or any substance that has such effects. They are potent inducers of ANALGESIA and OPIOID-RELATED DISORDERS. Analgesics, Narcotic,Narcotic Analgesics,Narcotic,Narcotic Effect,Narcotic Effects,Effect, Narcotic,Effects, Narcotic
D010349 Patient Compliance Voluntary cooperation of the patient in following a prescribed regimen. Client Adherence,Client Compliance,Non-Adherent Patient,Patient Adherence,Patient Cooperation,Patient Noncompliance,Patient Non-Adherence,Patient Non-Compliance,Patient Nonadherence,Therapeutic Compliance,Treatment Compliance,Adherence, Client,Adherence, Patient,Client Compliances,Compliance, Client,Compliance, Patient,Compliance, Therapeutic,Compliance, Treatment,Cooperation, Patient,Non Adherent Patient,Non-Adherence, Patient,Non-Adherent Patients,Non-Compliance, Patient,Nonadherence, Patient,Noncompliance, Patient,Patient Non Adherence,Patient Non Compliance,Patient, Non-Adherent,Therapeutic Compliances,Treatment Compliances
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D013375 Substance Withdrawal Syndrome Physiological and psychological symptoms associated with withdrawal from the use of a drug after prolonged administration or habituation. The concept includes withdrawal from smoking or drinking, as well as withdrawal from an administered drug. Drug Withdrawal Symptoms,Withdrawal Symptoms,Drug Withdrawal Symptom,Substance Withdrawal Syndromes,Symptom, Drug Withdrawal,Symptom, Withdrawal,Symptoms, Drug Withdrawal,Symptoms, Withdrawal,Syndrome, Substance Withdrawal,Syndromes, Substance Withdrawal,Withdrawal Symptom,Withdrawal Symptom, Drug,Withdrawal Symptoms, Drug,Withdrawal Syndrome, Substance,Withdrawal Syndromes, Substance

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