title: Nicotine dependence is associated with compulsive alcohol craving.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate a possible association of nicotine dependence and alcohol craving.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross-sectional study on patients diagnosed with alcohol dependence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detoxification unit of a regional psychiatric hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 127 smoking male patients were included in the study at admission for detoxification from alcohol.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess the severity of nicotine dependence while the Obsessive Compulsive Craving Scale (OCDS) was used to measure alcohol craving. The OCDS was assessed at admission and after 7 days of withdrawal treatment, distinguishing the total score, the obsessive and the compulsive subscale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spearman's correlation revealed a significant association between the extent of alcohol craving and the FTND score (day 0, n = 127: OCDS total score r = 0.238, P = 0.007; OCDS compulsive score r = 0.280, P = 0.001; day 7; n = 94: OCDS total score r = 0.212, P = 0.040; OCDS compulsive score r = 0.225, P = 0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The severity of nicotine dependence is associated with higher craving in alcohol-dependent patients. These results point towards shared pathophysiological mechanisms in alcohol craving and nicotine addiction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. thomas.hillemacher@psych.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayerlein
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thürauf
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziegenbein
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009770:Obsessive Behavior; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology