title: Comparing treatments of alcoholism on craving and biochemical measures of alcohol consumptionst.
abstract: An open randomized study was conducted to compare different treatments of alcoholism on ethanol intake, craving, and on biochemical measures of alcohol consumptions. Eighty-six alcoholics were abstinent for a mean of two weeks prior to random assignment to g-hydroxybutyrate (GHB, 50 mg/kg of body weight t.i.d), naltrexone (NTX, 50 mg/day) or disulfiram (DSF, 200 mg/ day) treatment for 12 months. All treatments were equally effective in reducing alcohol intake and in maintaining abstinence. In all patients, the treatments were able to reduce both craving and the altered biological markers of alcohol abuse. The maximum effects were observed in GHB-treated patients. The results of the present study suggest that GHB might act both as anticraving and cellular protector agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Addiction Medicine, Drug Abuse Unit (Ser.T.), Hospital of Castelfranco Veneto, Via Ospedale, 18, 31033 Castelfranco Veneto-Treviso, Italy. felnava@tin.it
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nava
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Premi
authors.forename: Ezio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manzato
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013695:Temperance
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D015415:Biomarkers; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone; D012978:Sodium Oxybate; D004221:Disulfiram