Author/Authors :
Dashipour Alireza نويسنده Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran Dashipour Alireza , Farajian-Mashhadi Farzaneh نويسنده Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran Farajian-Mashhadi Farzaneh , Lashkaripour Maryam نويسنده Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Baharan
Psychiatric Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences,
Zahedan, IR Iran , Adibi Amir نويسنده Psychiatrist, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam,
IR Iran
Abstract :
Background Using methamphetamine and its dependence is a serious
public health problem worldwide. In Iran about 50% of hospital beds are
occupied due to psychosis or mental disorder complications related to
methamphetamine dependence, which seriously affects patients’ admission
to psychiatric hospitals. Objectives The current study aimed to evaluate
the effectiveness of modafinil for treating patients with amphetamine
dependence. Patients and Methods In the current clinical trial study, 50
male patients with amphetamine and methamphetamine dependence, who had
referred to addiction treatment clinic of Baharan psychiatry hospital in
Zahedan, Eastern Iran, were studied. The participants were followed for
12 weeks. The random sampling method was used and patients were divided
to two groups of modafinil receivers and placebo, based on blocks
permutation. To evaluate the consumption of amphetamine/methamphetamine,
urinary screening for methamphetamine was conducted in the beginning of
the study and every week during the study period. The drug craving and
level of dependence were measured by Visual Analogue Scale of Craving
(VAS) and Addiction Severity Index (ASI), respectively. At the end of
the follow-up period, data were analyzed using t-test and Chi-square
test by SPSS ver. 18. Results The mean age of the subjects was 29.5 ±
6.4 years. The results of urinary screening for methamphetamine were
positive for 52.8% and 55.1% of the subjects in the modafinil receivers
and placebo groups, respectively. The mean scores of drug craving were
76.2 ± 9.0 and 81.0 ± 8.2 for the modafinil receivers and placebo
groups, respectively (P = 0.064). The mean of reduction in dependence
level scores were 5.6 ± 2.7 and 2.0 ± 1.1 for the modafinil receivers
and placebo groups, respectively (P = 0.001). Conclusions The results of
the current study showed that modafinil was well-tolerated but not
effective in reducing the level of consumption (number of negative
urinary tests for amphetamine-methamphetamine). Modafinil was effective
in reduction of severity addiction to amphetamine-methamphetamine.
