Efficacy and safety of acamprosate in the treatment of detoxified alcohol-dependent patients. A 90-day placebo-controlled dose-finding study.
BACKGROUND
Acamprosate is a newly registered drug that appears to reduce alcohol-drinking in both animal models and clinical conditions.


METHODS
In order to assess the efficacy and safety of the drug in the treatment of detoxified alcoholics, we performed a 90-day double-blind trial comparing two dosages of acamprosate (1332 mg/day and 1998 mg/day).


RESULTS
For all efficacy parameters, acamprosate appeared to be significantly superior to placebo, with a trend towards a better effect at the higher dosage. Furthermore, acamprosate appeared to be extremely safe.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that acamprosate could be an interesting adjuvant for maintaining abstinence in detoxified alcoholics.
Pelc
I
I
Psychiatry Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
Verbanck
P
P
Le Bon
O
O
Gavrilovic
M
M
Lion
K
K
Lehert
P
P
D000077443:Acamprosate; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D013654:Taurine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013695:Temperance; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D013654:Taurine; D000077443:Acamprosate