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Volume 39, Issue 2, Pages 174-179 (September 2010)


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Methadone use among HIV-positive injection drug users in a Canadian setting

Tyler Pettesa, Evan Wood, M.D., Ph.Dab, Silvia Guillemi, M.Da, Calvin Lai, M.Matha, Julio Montaner, M.Dab, Thomas Kerr, Ph.DabCorresponding Author Informationemail address

Received 2 November 2009; received in revised form 22 April 2010; accepted 3 May 2010. published online 05 July 2010.

Abstract 

We examined methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) use among HIV-positive injection drug users (IDU) in Vancouver. Among 353 participants, 199 (56.3%) were on MMT at baseline, and 48 initiated MMT during follow-up. Female gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.14–2.62) and antiretroviral therapy use (AOR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.46–2.86) were positively associated with MMT use, whereas frequent heroin injection (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.23–0.50), public injection (AOR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.59–0.97), syringe borrowing (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32–0.90), and nonfatal overdose (AOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.36–0.92) were negatively associated with MMT use. The rate of discontinuation of MMT was 12.46 (95% CI = 8.28–18.00) per 100 person years. Frequent heroin use (adjusted hazards ratio = 4.49, 95%CI = 1.81–11.13) was positively associated with subsequent discontinuation of MMT. These findings demonstrate the benefits of MMT among HIV-positive IDU and the need to improve access to and retention in MMT.

a British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Canada

b Division of AIDS, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Canada

Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Urban Health Research Initiative, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC, Canada V6Z 1Y6. Fax: +1 604 806 9044.

PII: S0740-5472(10)00095-4

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2010.05.001


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