A Study to Assess the Effect of Concomitant Administration of Fluconazole on the Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Methadone

Injection drug users constitute the second largest subset of the U.S. population at risk for HIV infection and AIDS-associated mortality. Narcotic addiction is often treated by use of methadone. Fluconazole has been shown to be highly effective in treating symptomatic mucosal candidiasis, but it is unknown whether fluconazole affects methadone metabolism, which could result in symptoms of methadone withdrawal or overdose in patients taking the drugs in combination.

Patients are randomized to receive methadone plus either fluconazole or placebo in clinic daily for 16 days. Study drugs are administered as close to 8 AM as possible. Patients must visit the Fort Greene clinic on study days 1, 2, 15, and 16; they may receive treatment at their home clinics on days 3 through 14.