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Effectiveness of bup/nx vs buprenorphine alone and methadone
Summary of the evidence
A systematic review was performed to examine whether the addition of naloxone to buprenorphine, bup/nx, has a clinical difference in a treatment setting and whether bup/nx is more effective than buprenorphine and methadone.
Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in treatment retention between bup/ nx and buprenorphine or bup/nx and methadone (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.28,1.19), which showed that the addition of naloxone yields no clinical difference.
This suggests that bup/nx may be used as an alternative to methadone or buprenorphine and may allow patients the choice in opioid replacement therapy.
Details
Note: this evidence summary is only valid for the outcomes, target groups, settings and substances/patterns of use described below.
