Valproate treatment of acute alcohol hallucinosis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of valproate (Depakine-Chrono) versus placebo for the treatment of acute alcohol hallucinosis.


METHODS
10 days' randomized, double-blind, parallel study was conducted; 40 patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of acute alcohol hallucinosis were randomized to valproate (Depakine-Chrono) 3000 mg/day (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20). The primary efficacy measure was the Clinical Global Improvement (CGI) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), subscale for hallucinosis.


RESULTS
Valproate-treated patients demonstrated a greater improvement than placebo-treated patients in CGI (P < 0.001) and PANSS subscale for verbal hallucinosis (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Valproate is effective in the treatment of acute hallucinosis and is generally well tolerated.
Aliyev
Zafar N
ZN
Narcological Dispensary of Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan Republic, Azerbaijan Republic.
Aliyev
Nadir A
NA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid