The effects of venlafaxine and cognitive behavioral therapy alone and combined in the treatment of co-morbid alcohol use-anxiety disorders.
The effects of the antidepressant venlafaxine (VEN-225 mg daily) and transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) alone and in combination on alcohol intake in subjects with co-morbid alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and anxiety disorders were compared. Drinking outcomes and anxiety were assessed for 81 subjects treated for 11 weeks with one of 4 conditions: 1) VEN-CBT, 2) VEN-Progressive Muscle Relaxation therapy (PMR), 3) Placebo (PLC)-CBT and 4) a comparison group of PLC-PMR. For subjects who reported taking at least one dose of study medication, the Time×Group interaction was significant for percent days of heavy drinking and drinks consumed per day. For the measure of percent days heavy drinking, the paired comparison of PLC-CBT versus PLC-PMR group indicated that the PLC-CBT group had greater drinking reductions, whereas other groups were not superior to the comparison group. In Week 11, the proportion of subjects in the PLC-CBT group that had a 50% reduction from baseline in percent days heavy drinking was significantly greater than those in the comparison group. Of the 3 "active treatment" groups only the PLC-CBT group had significantly decreased heavy drinking when contrasted to the comparison group. This finding suggests that the transdiagnostic CBT approach of Barlow and colleagues may have value in the management of heavy drinking in individuals with co-morbid alcoholism and anxiety.
Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States. Electronic address: dciraulo@bu.edu.
Domenic A
DA
Ciraulo
David H
DH
Barlow
Suzy Bird
SB
Gulliver
Todd
T
Farchione
Sandra B
SB
Morissette
Barbara W
BW
Kamholz
Katherine
K
Eisenmenger
Bonnie
B
Brown
Eric
E
Devine
Timothy A
TA
Brown
Clifford M
CM
Knapp
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
Alcoholism; Antidepressants; Anxiety; Cognitive behavioral therapy