Journal of Anesthesiology and Pain

Abstract

Aims and Background: The term of opiate refers to natural and synthetic materials that have morphine-like activity. Opiates have central nervous system depressant and analgesic effects .They can lead to pleasure and euphoric sensations. So subsequent to therapy , the probability of relapse is high. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on the recurrence of drug abuse following ultra rapid opioid detoxification (UROD).

Materials and methods: It is a randomized, double blind, sham controlled survey which has been conducted for forty scheduled subjects undergoing UROD. Transcranial direct current stimulation was applied at 24 hour intervals for three sessions. The relapse rate was assessed within two weeks, one and three months after detoxification using addiction strip test and psychiatric visit. The acquired data was  analyzed via ordinal logistic regression model while selecting group therapy as a predictor variable, with other variables using SPSS software.

Findings: All the participants were male with mean ages of 25 ±2.11 and 26 ± 1.71 years in intervention and control groups, respectively. Although the intervention was shown to be   effective for a short time and the relapse rate within the first two weeks was decreased,  no significant difference was shown between the groups  finally(P-value=0.931) .Considering  other important factors influencing the relapse rate, only the marital status was effective (P-value<0.05).

Conclusion: The findings showed no long-term effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on the relapse rate following UROD approach.