Factors determining heroin addiction treatment outcome and the likelihood of sustained abstinence in heroin addictsE

Masa Karleusa Valkanou

Factors determining heroin addiction treatment outcome have not been studied extensively despite the practical and theoretical significance. It is uncertain whether we are able to predict the odds of sustained heroin abstinence and affect the factors that increase the likelihood of the recovery. This study aimed to identify factors that either individually or in synergy support the sustained multiannual abstinence. Method: In this translational am bidirectional cohort study, we evaluated two groups of heroin addicts that underwent the same therapeutic procedures with different outcomes (133 abstainers and 56 relapses) using the nonstandardized questionnaire to study: The history of addiction, motivation for the treatment, parental attitudes and control, job satisfaction, social and emotional relationships, alternative satisfactions, use of other substances during treatment and treatment characteristics. The chi square analysis was used to determine specific significant factors that act individually. The binary logistic regression provided a mathematical model of the synergistic effect of significant factors. Result: The study found a new variable, an abstinence marker, defined by the synergistic effect of the following factors: Use of tramadol before treatment (p=0.011), non-use of Benzodiazepines (p=0.001), length of Naltrexone use (p??0.0005), non-use of Cannabis (p=0.002), non-compulsive exercise (p=0.009) and employment and job satisfaction (p??0.0005) during recovery. Conclusion: This study reports a mathematical model that predicts multiannual sustained abstinence as an outcome of heroin addiction treatment.