Skip to content

Low-dose Buprenorphine Initiation for Opioid Use Disorder

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Low-dose Buprenorphine Initiation for Opioid Use Disorder

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05450718
Enrollment
70
Registered
2022-07-11
Start date
2024-11-11
Completion date
2027-06-30
Last updated
2026-07-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Opioid Use Disorder

Keywords

micro-induction, microdosing, low-dose initiation, buprenorphine, micro-initiation

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to test whether low-dose buprenorphine initiation for treatment of opioid use disorder is safe and effective.

Detailed description

After being informed about the study and potential risks, all participants will be given written informed consent. Eligible participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an 8-day low-dose buprenorphine initiation protocol or treatment as usual, and conduct study visits at baseline and weeks 2 and 4. The investigators will also provide participants with mobile phones to collect real-time data on withdrawal, anxiety, craving and substance use through electronic Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) technology.

Interventions

Low-dose initiation of buprenorphine-naloxone protocol

Sponsors

Montefiore Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form 2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study 3. Any gender, aged 18 years or greater 4. Opioid Use Disorder (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- Version 5 criteria) 5. Ability to take sublingual medication 6. Willingness to adhere to the assigned buprenorphine initiation regimen 7. Fluency in English or Spanish 8. For participants of reproductive potential: agreement to use highly effective contraception during study participation

Exclusion criteria

1. Use of FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder treatment (within 7 days prior to screening), including methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone 2. Diagnosis of Alcohol Use Disorder, severe or Benzodiazepine Use Disorder, severe (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- Version 5 criteria) 3. Severe untreated mental illness, meaning psychosis or suicidality 4. Presence of an acute or chronic medical condition that would make participation medically hazardous 5. Pregnancy or lactation 6. Known allergic reactions to buprenorphine or naloxone 7. Inability to consent due to cognitive impairment

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Recruitment Feasibility: Percentage of subjects assessed who enroll in the clinical trial.At baseline study visit (time zero)This pilot study is designed to establish the feasibility of a future, full-powered clinical trial. The primary question this study seeks to answer is whether primary care patients with opioid use disorder are willing to enroll in a clinical trial of low-dose inductions. The study will aim to enroll 25% of subjects who are assessed. "Assessed" is defined as having been referred to the study staff. Enrollment is defined as having been randomized to a treatment arm.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Protocol Feasibility: Proportion of participants who follow adequate fidelity to the low-dose initiation study protocol.From baseline to day 8This pilot study will seek to answer whether participants of a clinical trial adhere to a low-dose buprenorphine-naloxone (bup-nx) initiation protocol. The study aims to achieve 80% of study participants meeting adequate fidelity to the low-dose study protocol. Adequate fidelity is defined as meeting all of the following: 1. First dose is a low dose (defined as less than 1-.25mg bup-nx) (yes/no), 2. Daily bup-nx dose equivalent to assigned daily dose: For the first 7 days the reported total daily bup-nx dose is within the prespecified assigned daily dose limit, 3. Variability: Each day's daily dose is increased from the prior daily dose (within daily limits) (yes/no). Measured using once daily participant self-report through mobile data collection technology.
Number of participants who uptake buprenorphine treatment at 2 weeks2-week study visitUptake is defined as having a positive urine drug test (UDT) for buprenorphine at the 2-week study visit (dichotomous, yes/no).
Number of participants retained in buprenorphine treatment at 6 weeks6-week study visit6-week retention is defined as having an active buprenorphine prescription and buprenorphine-positive UDT at the 6-week visit
Non-prescribed opioid useFrom baseline to 6-week study visitThe mean number of days of non-prescribed opioid use, defined as self-reported use of heroin, fentanyl, or non-prescribed opioid analgesics in the prior 14 days using an adapted version of the Addiction Severity Index. Will be reported for each arm at the 6-week visit (continuous).
Withdrawal severityFrom baseline to 2-week study visitMeasured using the Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Score, a 16-item scale based on symptom severity (from 0=Not at all, to 4=extremely). Multilevel mixed-linear effects models will be used to assess between arms.
Precipitated withdrawalFrom baseline to 2-week study visitThe percentage of participants who experience precipitated withdrawal during the first 2 weeks of initiation. Defined as withdrawal symptoms that get markedly worse within 90 minutes of taking buprenorphine-naloxone dose. Markedly worse will be defined as a change in 10 points on Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Score (SOWS) severity, or as determined by a study clinician. SOWS is a 16-item scale based on symptom severity (from 0=Not at all, to 4=extremely, yielding a possible overall range from 0-64). Precipitated withdrawal is expected only during periods of increasing buprenorphine-naloxone dose titrations: for the low-dose protocol precipitated withdrawal could occur from dose 1 - 13; for the treatment as usual protocol precipitated withdrawal could occur from dose 1 - 5. SOWS will be collected 5 times/day using daily mobile data collection entries.
Mild vs Mod-Severe Withdrawal symptomsFrom baseline to 2-week study visitThe proportion of severe vs mild-moderate buprenorphine-related withdrawal events between study arms will be assessed using the using the Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Score, a 16-item scale based on symptom severity (from 0=Not at all, to 4=extremely). The 16 items are summed with a score of 1-10 representing mild withdrawal, 11-20 as moderate withdrawal, and \>/= 21 as severe withdrawal.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTBenjamin T Hayes, MD, MS, MPH
bhayes@montefiore.org4156700850
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORBenjamin T Hayes, MD, MS, MPH

Montefiore Medical Center

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 22, 2026