title: Agomelatine is effective in reducing insomnia in abstinent alcohol-dependent patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep disorders are a widespread, persistent problem among alcohol-dependent patients and have been implicated in an increased risk for alcohol relapse. The melatonin-agonist agomelatine has been shown to improve overall sleep quality without daytime sedation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an off-label therapeutic setting, 9 alcohol-dependent patients with chronic sleep disorders received nightly doses of between 25 and 50 mg of agomelatine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 weeks of agomelatine treatment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score for all patients had decreased significantly from a mean (SD) of 13.1 (1.7) to 7.8 (1.7) (t = 12.8; P = 0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agomelatine is a preparation that is not prone to abuse. The current pilot investigation shows that agomelatine might offer the prospect of becoming a valuable addition to the pharmacological repertoire for the treatment of alcohol-dependence-associated insomnia.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, University of Heidelberg/Medical Faculty, Mannheim, Germany; and †Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grosshans
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mutschler
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luderer
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kiefer
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D009281:Naphthalenes
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C084711:agomelatine; D009281:Naphthalenes