title: Acamprosate in the treatment of binge eating disorder: a placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess preliminarily the effectiveness of acamprosate in binge eating disorder (BED).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 10-week, randomized, placebo-controlled, flexible dose trial, 40 outpatients with BED received acamprosate (N = 20) or placebo (N = 20). The primary outcome measure was binge eating episode frequency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While acamprosate was not associated with a significantly greater rate of reduction in binge eating episode frequency or any other measure in the primary longitudinal analysis, in the endpoint analysis it was associated with statistically significant improvements in binge day frequency and measures of obsessive-compulsiveness of binge eating, food craving, and quality of life. Among completers, weight and BMI decreased slightly in the acamprosate group but increased in the placebo group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although acamprosate did not separate from placebo on any outcome variable in the longitudinal analysis, results of the endpoint and completer analyses suggest the drug may have some utility in BED.
authors.affiliation: Lindner Center of HOPE, Research Institute, 4075 Old Western Row Road, Mason, OH45040, USA. susan.mcelroy@lindnercenter.org
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: McElroy
authors.forename: Anna I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Guerdjikova
authors.forename: Erin L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Winstanley
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: O'Melia
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Keck
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D000077443:Acamprosate; D000328:Adult; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013654:Taurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D013654:Taurine; D000077443:Acamprosate