title: Is treatment for alcoholism effective in persons on methadone maintenance?
abstract: A randomized prospective study of 625 drug addicts on methadone maintenance revealed that 105 (17%) were active alcoholics, 47 (8%) were inactive alcoholics, and 473 (76%) were not alcoholics. The active alcoholics were randomly assigned to abstinence therapy, controlled drinking with behavior modification, or a control group receiving the usual clinic services. There were no differences between treatment and control groups at baseline and during follow-up of up to 2 1/2 years, and there was no relation between remission and treatment, suggesting that the effectiveness of currently employed specific interventions for alcoholism in active alcoholic addicts maintained on methadone cannot be demonstrated.
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone