The Effect of Perphenazine Add-On Therapy to Matrix Intervention on Control of Craving and Relapse in Methamphetamine Users: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Compulsive behaviors, loss of control, and social and occupational dysfunctions are complications of methamphetamine dependence. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of perphenazine on control of craving and relapse in methamphetamine users. Patients and Methods: This double-blind randomized controlled trial was performed in 2017 - 2018 in Isfahan, Iran. The samples included 40 methamphetamine-dependent subjects referred to drug rehab centers in Isfahan. While the intervention group received perphenazine for eight weeks, the control group received placebo tablets. Also, both groups were followed up for four months. Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ-Brief) was filled for each patient before and after the intervention. The comparison were conducted using the repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). All analyses were performed by SPSS 20 Software. A P-value equal to 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: CCQ-Brief scores were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group (P 0.0001). The changes in CCQ-Brief scores were also significant among both groups. Conclusions: Adding perphenazine to the matrix program in the treatment of methamphetamine use disorder showed significant effect on the reduction of the craving to methamphetamine.