title: Long-term predictors of outcome in abstinent alcoholic men.
abstract: Twenty-nine alcoholic men who had been abstinent for more than 2 years were evaluated behaviorally and neuroendocrinologically and then followed for 2 years. Mean length of abstinence at intake was shorter in the eight patients with histories of depression (3.3 years) than in the patients without such histories (6.8 years). Six patients relapsed during follow-up, all of whom had been sober less than 5 years. None of the neuroendocrine variables studied was predictive of outcome. In summary, abstinence of less than 5 years and comorbidity with depression were most predictive of poor outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Loosen
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Dew
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Prange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011336:Probability; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine