Patients' quality of life (QoL) and medication misuse and diversion during suboxone maintenance in Italy. A National opinion leaders' interview-based survey

Background: Buprenorphine-naloxone combination therapy justified the present investigation because of the insights it offered on patients' behaviour and Quality of Life (QoL). Methods: By means of interviews with 62 Italian Opinion Leaders (IOL), retrospective data about patients during their first six months of treatment with BNX were recorded. The evaluation covered social and professional data on subjects; social and interpersonal aspects in relation to each subject's environment: family, workmates, friends; the profile of the urine tests performed during the assessment period; impact on quality of life, together with the mental health profile that emerged during take-home treatment; drug craving levels as measured during treatment; other non-pharmacological treatments carried out during the reporting period; the global clinical assessment of the treatments performed during the period of observation; the impact, in terms of management, on the Drug Addiction Centres and on professional activities at the Centers during take-home therapy; the Quality of Life of the patients. Results: Take-Home Therapy patients (N=761) were significantly more frequently married and employed than Supervised Daily Therapy patients (N=54). THT patients showed lower craving for heroin than SDT patients. THT patients used less frequently cocaine and/or reported lower craving for it. The IOL's global clinical judgment was better regarding THT patients, and THT patients' QoL was considered higher. Conclusions: This study may provide general indications about how to achieve better clinical management of heroin addiction by using buprenorphine-naloxone combination during a Take-Home Therapy.