title: Levetiracetam in the treatment of alcohol dependence: toward the end of the story?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Levetiracetam exhibited 2 promising results in preclinical studies as well as in treating alcohol withdrawal in humans. Two open-label trials suggested that levetiracetam may be efficient in alcohol-related disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study by Fertig and colleagues (2012) examines the effects of levetiracetam using a double-blind, placebo-controlled design including 130 participants. Fertig and colleagues' study included alcohol-dependent participants drinking heavily. Double-blind medication was dispensed for 16 weeks, with a target dose of 2,000 mg per day from week 5 to week 14, and then tapered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results are negative both on the primary and on the secondary outcomes, except from lower alcohol-related consequences in the levetiracetam extended-release (XR) group, and a trend for a lower quality of life in the levetiracetam XR group. These last 2 results would have been nonsignificant after controlling for multiple testing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By conducting a state-of-the-art randomized-controlled clinical trial with negative results, Fertig and colleagues have filled an important gap in the existing literature.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Louis Mourier Hospital, AP-HP, Colombes, France. yann.lestrat@inserm.fr
authors: Yann
authors: Y
authors: Le Strat
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001418:Baclofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018755:GABA Agonists; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D001418:Baclofen; D010889:Piracetam