[Compulsive alcoholics and serotoninergic function].
OBJECTIVE
Different alcoholism subtypes from Jellinek's modified typology reviewed by Babor of gamma and delta alcoholics and former one group (compulsive alcoholics) relationships with serotonergic function are the main purpose of this work, presenting in that sense our study with sertraline at obsessive compulsive disorder treatment doses.


METHODS
Open label multicenter six month study with 91 alcohol dependent patients (53% gamma, 20% delta, 27% mixed) treated with sertraline 200 mg to evaluate its effectiveness and tolerance in both subgroups, focusing specially on compulsive alcoholics. Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS), Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), Craving Evaluation and Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGI S).


CONCLUSIONS
Gamma patients showed a slight tendency to recovery than delta, without statistical significance. These results could reflect a statistical bias, as few delta patients were included. According to neurobiological hypotheses, future studies should try to evaluate these types of alcoholism. Improvement (CGI-I) were the measures employed.


RESULTS
CGI S and CGI I showed a statistically significant improvement. Seventy six per cent of patients were responders. No statistically significant differences were observed between gamma and delta groups.
Szerman Bolotner
Néstor
N
Hospital Virgen de la Torre, Madrid, España. nestorszerman@wanadoo.es
Peris Diaz
Lola
L
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline