title: Post-treatment outcomes in a double-blind, randomized trial of sertraline for alcohol dependence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pharmacotherapy studies in alcohol dependence (AD) are generally of short duration and do not include post-treatment follow-up. We examined the durability of treatment effects in a placebo-controlled trial of sertraline for AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  As previously reported, patients received 12 weeks of treatment with sertraline (n = 63) or placebo (n = 71), followed by assessments at 3 and 6 months post-treatment (Kranzler et al., 2011, J Clin Psychopharmacol 31:22-30). We examined the main and interaction effects with time of 3 between-subject factors (medication group, age of onset of AD [late-onset alcoholics, LOAs, vs. early-onset alcoholics, EOAs], and the tri-allelic 5-HTTLPR genotype) on drinking days (DDs) and heavy drinking days (HDDs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The medication group effect, which was significant during treatment, remained significant during the 3-month follow-up period for L'/L' LOAs, with the sertraline group having fewer DDs than the placebo group (p = 0.027). However, the medication group effect seen in L'/L' EOAs during treatment was no longer significant (p = 0.48). There were no significant effects in S' carriers at the 3-month follow-up visit, or in either genotype group at the 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The beneficial effects of sertraline observed in LOAs during treatment persisted during the 3-month post-treatment period. Additional studies are needed to validate these pharmacogenetic findings, which together with the effects seen during active treatment support the use of sertraline only in LOAs.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA. kranzler_h@mail.trc.upenn.edu
authors: Henry R
authors: HR
authors: Kranzler
authors: Stephen
authors: S
authors: Armeli
authors: Howard
authors: H
authors: Tennen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D000483:Alleles; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; C493230:SLC6A4 protein, human