Personality factors associated with methadone maintenance dose.

Author(s): Murray H, McHugh RK, Behar E, Pratt E, Otto M

Affiliation(s): Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. hwmurray@bu.edu

Publication date & source: 2008, Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse., 34(5):634-41.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES: Methadone is the most frequently prescribed medication for the treatment of opioid dependence in the U.S., and questions relating to appropriate dosing of methadone remain an important issue. Given accumulating evidence suggesting an elevated prevalence of personality pathology in opioid dependent populations, as well as evidence of an association between Cluster B characteristics and substance use severity, we hypothesized that patients with such pathology would have elevated methadone dose prescriptions. METHODS: Participants were 54 opioid dependent individuals recruited from a methadone maintenance clinic. Results: Results indicated that participants with symptoms consistent with Cluster B pathology had a significantly higher mean prescribed methadone dose relative to participants without Cluster B pathology. CONCLUSION: The presence of personality traits appears to influence methadone maintenance. Implications of this finding are discussed.