Gradual dose taper following chronic buprenorphine

This paper describes the time course of withdrawal and relapse in opioid-de pendent volunteers (n = 8) who completed a gradual outpatient buprenorphine dose taper (28 days). Compliance with treatment was very high, as evidence d by clinic attendance (96-100%). Urinalysis showed that 6 of the 8 volunte ers had relapsed to opiates by the end of the dose taper, even though repor ts of withdrawal were generally low. Relapse may have been triggered by a d esire to re-experience the drug's positive subjective effects, craving, or low motivation to remain drug-free. A longer taper combined with an expande d range of treatments may improve prognosis.