title: Treating alcohol withdrawal with oral baclofen: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abrupt cessation of alcohol intake causes habituated drinkers to experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-B agonist baclofen on the course of acute symptomatic AWS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two tertiary-care hospitals in Duluth, Minnesota.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatient adults admitted for any reason (including AWS) judged to be at high risk for AWS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inpatients who developed symptoms of AWS received symptom-triggered benzodiazepine treatment using lorazepam by standard protocol, and were randomized to receive baclofen 10 mg or placebo, 3 times per day, orally.
  
  
  METHODS
  AWS severity was assessed using the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar); lorazepam dose was monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-nine subjects were enrolled. The 44 subjects who developed symptoms of AWS were randomized to baclofen or placebo. Thirty-one subjects (18 baclofen, 13 placebo) completed 72 hours of assessments, either entirely as inpatients or with outpatient follow-up. The need for high doses of benzodiazepines (20 mg or more of lorazepam over 72 hours) to control AWS was less likely in the baclofen treatment group (1 of 18) than in the placebo-treated group (7 of 13) (P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that the use of baclofen was associated with a significant reduction in the use of high doses of benzodiazepine (lorazepam) in the management of symptomatic AWS. The use of low-dose baclofen in the management of AWS deserves further study, as reduced dependence on high-dose benzodiazepines in AWS management could improve patient safety.
authors: Hospital Internal Medicine, Essentia Health, Duluth, Minnesota 55805-1983, USA.
authors: Jeffrey E
authors: JE
authors: Lyon
authors: Raza A
authors: RA
authors: Khan
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Gessert
authors: Pamela M
authors: PM
authors: Larson
authors: Colleen M
authors: CM
authors: Renier
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D001418:Baclofen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D010919:Placebos; D001418:Baclofen