Risk of Relapse Among Opioid‐Dependent Patients Treated With Extended‐Release Naltrexone or Buprenorphine‐Naloxone: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives Compare the risk of relapse to heroin and other illicit opioids among opioid‐dependent patients receiving treatment with extended‐release naltrexone (XR‐NTX) or buprenorphine‐naloxone (BP‐NLX). Methods Re‐analyzed data from a 12‐week multicenter, open‐label, randomized treatment study with a subsequent 36‐week open‐label follow‐up study. All patients, N = 143, had completed detoxification and received at least one dose of study medication. Results Of 143 patients (72% men), mean age 36 years, 71 received XR‐NTX and 72 BP‐NLX. The risk of first relapse and the risk of any relapse to heroin and other illicit opioids were both significantly lower in the XR‐NTX group compared with the BP‐NLX group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28‐0.76; P = .002, and HR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.04‐0.29; P