Buprenorphine in the Emergency Department (BED)

St. Joseph's Health Centre Toronto

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Opioid Withdrawal; Opioid-use Disorder

Treatments: Drug: Clonidine; Drug: Buprenorphine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03174067

BED2013

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a pilot randomized control trial randomizing patients presenting in opioid withdrawal to the emergency department to receive either one of clonidine (usual standard of care) or buprenorphine for their opioid withdrawal. Primary treatment outcome is attendance at a rapid access addiction medicine clinic within a few days of emergency room presentation. Secondary treatment outcome is treatment status with respect to opioid agonist treatment at one month post emergency room visit.

Enrollment: 26 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Presenting to the ED in opioid withdrawal or soon to be in withdrawal
2. Minimum age 16
3. English speaking
4. Active phone number
5. Ontario Health Insurance Program card

Exclusion criteria

1. Pregnant
2. Currently enrolled in a methadone or buprenorphine maintenance
3. Benzodiazepine addiction (or taking >50mg of valium equivalent/day)
4. Acute hepatitis or liver failure

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

26 participants in 2 patient groups

Buprenorphine

Experimental group

Description:

Patient receives buprenorphine in the emergency room based on a clinical trial protocol as well as a take home prescription for buprenorphine

Treatment:

Drug: Buprenorphine

Clonidine

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patient receives clonidine in the emergency room based on a clinical trial protocol and also receives a take home prescription for clonidine

Treatment:

Drug: Clonidine