In the field of drug abuse treatment, noncompletion and negative outcome is a general problem.

Outcome of hospital treatment of opioid dependence was examined.

The purpose of the present study was examination of a cohort of patients treated at Centre for treatment of drug addiction at the beginning of the treatment, after three and six months.

A group of 113 patients consecutively admitted to a closed detoxification unit between October 2011 and September 2012 were assessed. Positive outcome of the treatment is defined as complete abstinence in the 28 days before review. Baseline data were obtained using The Treatment Outcomes Profile (TOP), The Drug Addiction Treatment Efficacy Scale (DATES), and a semistructured research interview for obtaining information on patient's sociodemographic characteristics. Follow up scores of TOP and DATES have been recorded after three and six months.

Fifty-two patients completed 6 weeks of detoxification program. After 3 months 45 of 84 evaluated subjects (53%) had a positive outcome, 14 patients (12%) abused heroin and 36 patients (32%) abused other drugs. After 6 months 14 of 52 evaluated patients (27%) had a positive outcome and 9 patients (8%) used heroin.

The share of patients with positive outcome peaked at 3 months, however the decreased use of heroin was sustained throughout the observation period.