Comparative effectiveness of alternative initial doses of opioid agonist treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder: a protocol for a retrospective population-based study using target trial emulation in British Columbia, Canada.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Selecting an optimal initial dosage of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) balances effectiveness and safety, as initial doses that are too low may be insufficient, potentially prompting clients to seek unregulated drugs to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, which may increase the likelihood of treatment discontinuation. Conversely, initial doses that are too high carry a risk of overdose. As opioid tolerance levels have risen in the fentanyl era, linked population-level data capturing initial doses in the real world provide a valuable opportunity to refine existing guidance on optimal OAT dosing at treatment initiation. Our objective is to determine the comparative effectiveness of alternative initial doses of methadone, buprenorphine-naloxone and slow-release oral morphine at

SUBMITTER: Yan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12406891 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature