Naltrexone as an adjunctive treatment for older patients with alcohol dependence.
The authors examined the efficacy of naltrexone as an adjunctive treatment for alcohol dependence in older adults. Forty-four veterans over 50 years of age were enrolled in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy study of naltrexone (the equivalent of 50 mg per day). There were no differences in the frequency of any self-reported adverse effects or in liver enzyme values between the placebo- and naltrexone-treated groups. There were no differences between the treatment groups in the number of subjects remaining abstinent or in the number of subjects who relapsed. However, all placebo-treated subjects relapsed after sampling alcohol, whereas only three of six naltrexone-treated subjects met relapse criteria after alcohol exposure (P = 0.024). The authors conclude that naltrexone was well tolerated and efficacious in preventing relapse in subjects who drank.
Oslin
D
D
Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Liberto
J G
JG
O'Brien
J
J
Krois
S
S
Norbeck
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone