title: Naltrexone for alcohol-dependent patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical trials have shown that naltrexone 50 mg/day reduces alcohol consumption and relapse rates in alcohol dependents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of 50mg/day dose of naltrexone in the maintenance of alcohol-dependent subjects over a 36-week treatment period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were randomised into two equal groups, consisting of 116 male alcohol-dependent patients who met the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence and were seeking treatment. The participants received naltrexone or placebo at a dose of 50 mg/day and were treated in an outpatient clinic, offering a weekly 0.5-hour individual counselling session. Days retained in treatment were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-one participants (35.3%) completed the 36-week study. Completion rates by group were 44.8% for the 50 mg naltrexone group and 25.9% for the placebo group (chi2=4.56, DF=1, 2-sided significance=0.033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the efficacy and safety of naltrexone for outpatient treatment of alcohol-dependent individuals in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran. jamshid-ahmadi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babaeebeigi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maany
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohagheghzadeh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dehbozorgi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone
references.citation: Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1990 Feb;35(2):385-90
references.pmid: 2320646
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1995 Apr;152(4):613-5
references.pmid: 7694913
references.citation: Life Sci. 1986 Mar 3;38(9):841-7
references.pmid: 3951334
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1994 Oct;151(10):1463-7
references.pmid: 8092339
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1993 Jun;17(3):631-6
references.pmid: 8392818
references.citation: Alcohol. 1991 Sep-Oct;8(5):355-67
references.pmid: 1797032
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994 Jan;51(1):8-19
references.pmid: 8279933
references.citation: Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1996 Nov;20(8 Suppl):216A-218A
references.pmid: 8947268
references.citation: Annu Rev Med. 1997;48:477-87
references.pmid: 9046978
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992 Nov;49(11):881-7
references.pmid: 1444726
references.citation: Life Sci. 1980 Mar 3;26(9):679-88
references.pmid: 6767889
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1999 Nov;156(11):1758-64
references.pmid: 10553740
references.citation: J Psychoactive Drugs. 1981 Jan-Mar;13(1):39-46
references.pmid: 7277087
references.citation: Alcohol Alcohol. 2000 Nov-Dec;35(6):587-93
references.pmid: 11093966
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1998 Sep;139(1-2):20-33
references.pmid: 9768539
references.citation: Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1997 Jan;129(1):15-22
references.pmid: 9122358
references.citation: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1997 Fall;5(4):324-32
references.pmid: 9363289
references.citation: Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992 Nov;49(11):876-80
references.pmid: 1345133
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 1996 Feb;153(2):281-3
references.pmid: 8561215
references.citation: Br J Addict. 1987 Apr;82(4):381-92
references.pmid: 3555574
references.citation: Addiction. 2001 Nov;96(11):1565-73
references.pmid: 11784454