title: Comparing and combining gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and naltrexone in maintaining abstinence from alcohol: an open randomised comparative study.
abstract: Maintaining abstinence from alcohol is the main goal in treating alcohol dependence. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and naltrexone (NTX), and their combination in maintaining abstinence. Fifty-five alcoholics were randomly enrolled in three groups and treated for 3 months with GHB, GHB plus NTX, and NTX, respectively. At the end of treatments, abstinence was maintained by 13 patients (72.2%) in combination group, 8 patients (40%; P=0.03) in GHB group, and one patient (5.9%; P=0.0001) in NTX group. Relapses in heavy drinking tended to occur more frequently in GHB group (15%) than in either combination group (no cases) or NTX group (5.9%), but such differences were not statistically significant. The GHB/NTX combination was more effective than either drug given alone; this suggests that the two drugs combine their different actions synergistically without suppressing the favourable effects of each other.
authors.affiliation: G. Fontana Centre for the Study and Multidisciplinary Treatment of Alcohol Addiction, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology and Hepatology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. fabio-caputo@libero.it
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Addolorato
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stoppo
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Francini
authors.forename: Teo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vignoli
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lorenzini
authors.forename: Arfedele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Re
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Comaschi
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andreone
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trevisani
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009271:Naltrexone; D012978:Sodium Oxybate