Comparison of rates of opioid withdrawal symptoms and reversal of opioid toxicity in patients treated with two naloxone dosing regimens: a retrospective cohort study
Roy Purssell, Jesse Godwin, Jessica Moe, Jane A. Buxton, Alexis Crabtree, Andrew Kestler, Chris DeWitt, Frank Scheuermeyer, Shannon Erdelyi, Robert Balshaw, Adrianna Rowe, Christopher K. Cochrane, Benjamin Ng, Andy Jiang, Alessia Risi, Vi Ho, Jeffrey R. Brubacher
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: When managing opioid overdose (OD) patients, the optimal naloxone regimen should rapidly reverse respiratory depression while avoiding opioid withdrawal. Published naloxone administration guidelines have not been empirically validated and most were developed before fentanyl OD was common. In this study, rates of opioid withdrawal symptoms (OW) and reversal of opioid toxicity in patients treated with two naloxone dosing regimens were evaluated. METHODS: logistic regression stratified by matched sets and adjusted for age, sex, pre-naloxone GCS, and presence of non-opioid drugs or alcohol. RESULTS: = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: HDN patients were more likely to have OW but also more likely to meet reversal criteria versus LDN patients.