TABLE 4.
Description of Successfully Completed Buprenorphine Low-Dose Induction Patients (n = 29)
| Variables | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration of buprenorphine low-dose initiation, median, d (IQR) | 5 (5–5) |
| Scheduled full agonist opioid analgesic administered during buprenorphine induction, n (%) | 24 (82.7) |
| Opioid analgesic administered during buprenorphine induction, n (%) | |
| Continuous infusiona | 24 (82.8) |
| Fentanyl | 15 (51.7) |
| Hydromorphone | 9 (31.0) |
| Intermittenta | 25 (86.2) |
| IV | 15 (51.7) |
| Oral | 10 (34.5) |
| Duration of opioid continuous infusion after first buprenorphine dose, median, d (IQR) | 4 (1.5–5) |
| Days receiving opioids after first buprenorphine dose, median (IQR) | 8 (5–18) |
| Total MME 24 hr before first buprenorphine dose, median MME (IQR) | 1057.5 (380–1470)b |
| Total MME 24 hr after reaching target buprenorphine dose, median MME (IQR) | 262.5 (30–879)b |
| Buprenorphine dose at ICU discharge, median mg (IQR) | 4 (2–8) |
| Buprenorphine total daily dose at ICU discharge, median mg (IQR) | 16 (8–16) |
| Buprenorphine frequency at ICU discharge, n (%) | |
| Two times daily | 3 (10.3) |
| Three times daily | 7 (24.1) |
| Four times daily | 19 (65.6) |
| Days receiving buprenorphine while hospitalized, median, d (IQR) | 19 (10–27) |
IQR = interquartile range, MME = morphine milligram equivalents.
a
Patients may have received continuous infusion and intermittent opioids concurrently.
b
p < 0.005 for the comparison of MME 24 hr before the first buprenorphine dose compared with the 24 hr after reaching the target buprenorphine dose.