INTRODUCTION: Methadone treatment has undergone great development,
to the point of becoming one of the most useful and efficient therapeutic
resources. This work presents retention as evaluation criteria
of the efficiency of the methadone treatment.
PATIENTS AND METHOD: Monitoring was carried out for a period of two
years on 136 methadone treated patients during the 1998-1999 period.
Kaplan and Meier curve was used to evaluate retention. The relationship
between dosage and retention has been analysed via ANOVA.
RESULTS: The 1998 average dosage was 45.6 mg, and the average dosage
was 50.9 mg. Retention was 92% registered following 20 months of
monitoring. No relation was discovered between dosage and permanence
within or out of treatment.
DISCUSSION: The methadone dosage employed was considered to be
low. Nevertheless, the majority of the patients remained at treatment.
Retention is not only based on the dosage administered, but also in
other factors related with organisation and strategy of treatment.