Indicators of good prognosis in naltrexone treatment: A five-year prospective study

A multicenter prospective study was conducted in Israel, in order to identify indicators of good prognosis of opiate dependent patients who would benefit from naltrexone (NTX) treatment. 72 Israeli housing project subjects who applied for treatment to government drug rehabilitation centres were included in the study. After undergoing detoxification in outpatient settings, the subjects were randomly divided in two groups, each receiving two different dosages of NTX 25 mg and 50 mg, on a daily basis during six months. After the NTX treatment the sample was followed up for a 5 year period. The basic criterion for the assessment of clinical outcome was the retention rate. This parameter reached 61.1% at six months, a result superior to any other previously reported with a group of suburban opiate dependents. Successful outcome correlated with predictors defined by stable relationships, steady job, good social functioning as measured by completion of compulsory military service and a later onset of drug abuse. In the NTX free follow-up period of 5 years, the results remained similar. The authors presume that the specific characteristics of Israeli society and extraneous factors may also account for the good clinical results.