title: Disulfiram for binge eating disorder: an open trail.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of disulfiram for treatment of binge eating disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and fifty milligrams per day of disulfiram was administered to 12 patients affected by binge eating disorder for 16 weeks; the number of binge eating episodes per week and the number of participants who reported side effects were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine participants (75.0%) completed the trial, while the other 3 (25.0%) discontinued prematurely. Disulfiram significantly decreased the mean frequency of binge eating episodes per week from 7.9±1.2 to 0.9±0.6 (p<.001). All patients (100.0%) reduced the frequency of binge eating episodes, and 7 participants (58.3%) achieved remission of binge eating. Eleven participants (91.7%) reported side effects [drowsiness (N=9), headache (N=7), dysgeusia (N=3), tachycardia (N=3), dizziness (N=2), and nausea (N=2)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While disulfiram reduced the frequency of binge eating episodes, side effects were observed in the majority of participants. Longer-term placebo-controlled studies are warranted to exclude the contribution of a placebo response from these results and to evaluate drugs with similar pharmacological activity but improved tolerability.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Center, Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu" University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Maria Giulia
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Farci
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Center, Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu" University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Center, Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu" University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Magnolia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murgia
authors.affiliation: Clinical Nutrition Center, Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu" University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Surgery Center, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Restivo
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Luigi
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Gessa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: agabio@unica.it.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agabio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D066249:Craving; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D004221:Disulfiram
keywords: Binge eating disorder; Disulfiramside; side effects